Here, Kitty, Kitty
by BabyBearxox
Summary: Cassie, the daughter of the Cheshire Cat, has a rather troublesome obsession with taking beautiful objects that don't belong to her. But when she steals a young pirate's beloved pocket watch she finds herself sucked into a vicious game of cat-and-mouse that she can't possibly win. (Slow-Burn)
1. Hello Kitty, Kitty

AN;

Hello readers! Just a few things to help out with the story;

First of all, this fic will take place on the same night the V.K.'s choose 'good'. So it's basically the in-between of 'Descendants and Descendants 2', and it's strictly Isle-based.

Warnings; T+

. Swearing  
. Violence  
(There are a few rough-ish topics in this story, but there will be a warning at the beginning of each chapter to let you know.)

Anyway, enough rambling from me. Please leave a Review or PM if you like this story, and follows and favourites are also appreciated.

Thanks!

* * *

The Isle of Lost was - more often than not - deathly silent when the sun went down. Whether it was because of the fatigue every villain, V.K., and follower felt at the end of such a long and draining day of 'hard work', or because many assumed the worst of the worst roamed the Island at night, no one really knew. For whatever reason, when the night came and the moon shined bright, the numerous stores and café's on the Isle closed and every single door locked.

This night was different. Instead of quietness and empty streets, it was now filled to the brim with villains and others alike. Hollers, screams and crashes echoed through each alley and from around every corner. Nothing was left untouched, either. Store windows were smashed, trash cans were kicked over, and the weaker of the Isle residents who were unfortunate enough to be stuck outside in the cold were beaten down to nothing, robbed of the very little they owned.

The night sky was lit up with a thousand lights, an odd shrieking noise accompanied by a loud 'bang' and a flash of colourful neon dust. The source seemed to be the Auradonian's, throwing yet another extravagant get-together. But their ways of celebration only illuminated the horrific acts being displayed on the Isle, and many unfortunate souls only had a glimpse of their attacker when the flashes blew up in the sky.

In the centre of the Isle, and tucked safely away in the attic of Bargain Castle, the sixteen year-old daughter of the Cheshire Cat watched the pretty lights with utter fascination, her dark-brown eyes darting to different parts of the sky as each cloud of beautiful bright dust exploded and disappeared into the night, a thundering 'bang' silencing the screams below after each and every one.

"Pretty," she hummed in wonderment, slowly reaching out her arm as if she'd be able to catch the falling 'stars' before they disappeared. She couldn't deny that the loud noises scared her, especially when one of the strange lights came a little too close to the Isle border. But the alluring colours of bright blues, greens, pinks and every other colour she could think of truly made it worth it.

Cassie carefully retracted her hand and placed her palms on the cold ledge, pushing herself up and out of the 'window'. She closed her eyes and purred in content, the chilly breeze soothing her warm skin.

A deafening 'boom' shook through the broken castle, startling the young girl. She hurriedly came back into the attic and lowered herself to her hands and knees, moving her face closer toward the small gaps in the floorboards to see who had been stupid enough to break into Maleficent's lair.

Since her little 'hide away' was placed above the top of the stairs, all Cassie could visibly see was multiple men and women rushing up the stairs. She couldn't make a safe guess as to who any of them were; There seemed to be such a mix of Isle dwellers and, for reasons she didn't know, they were in such a hurry that she barely managed to see any of their faces. From what she _could_ see, however, they were ransacking each and every room at the top of the castle, pillaging and dismantling whatever they set their minds to.

Cassie didn't know Maleficent or her daughter on a personal level; Far from it, in fact. All she really did was make a home in the small space at the top of their castle, coming in through a small gap in the wall in the day and leaving quietly down the side of the building in the night. They had absolutely no idea she was hiding in their home and she planned on keeping it that way. She hadn't even thought to question it when neither Mal or Maleficent came back to their castle that day, she'd just gone about her routine as usual.

Something was going on; Something big. The Isle residents never came to Bargain Castle unless they were invited - a very rare occurrence when it came to the women who owned it - and those barging their way in now were hardly worthy of such an invitation. For reasons unbeknownst to Cassie, the two women she prided herself on avoiding weren't in their home, and suddenly the Isle had fallen into completely chaos.

 _'I have to get out of here,'_ she thought to herself.

When a fight broke out down below, Cassie slowly and cautiously backed away from the scene, leaning back against her 'window'. The pretty glows the Auradonian's were sending out had long since disappeared, leaving her with no reason to stay where she was. After all, the fumbling thieves arguing downstairs were hardly interesting and she had no desire to sit still and watch. She had to get out of the castle, but walking around the Isle when it was in such disarray, and in her human form no less, was a serious risk to take.

 _'Then again,'_ she thought as she rolled her eyes skyward. With the majority of the whole island intent on stealing and harming others, there was no certainty that she'd be seen, much less caught by one of them. She was much better on two legs than she was on four and - if the situation came to it - she knew she could get herself out of there. All she had to do was stroll around until a 'special thing' caught her eye and then she could go home, play with it for a while, and then add it to the growing pile of 'old special things' in the corner of her hide away.

With her mind made up, Cassie quickly pulled her thin, black flats onto her small feet and tied the laces.

Going out when the Isle was in such a state wasn't a good plan, but even though she knew that she couldn't quite sway herself from going out anyway. She couldn't possibly spend another minute in her hide-away with all the ruckus going on down below, and she couldn't do it when she had nothing else to play around with when they eventually went away. Cassie just hoped that, by the time morning came, the thieves would be gone and she could return home for a few hours of sleep before she had to go back out again. After all, her night-time 'walks' were hardly easy, they more often than not took her all night to complete, and this particular night she wanted to bring home something truly beautiful. Something that would keep her unwavering 'needs' satiated for a good few hours at least.

Cassie gave one lingering glance to the pile in the corner of her room before nodding to herself, solidifying her decision to go and find something new. She quietly moved up and crouched on the very edge of the window, pressing herself back against the wall as she gracefully walked down the thin, wooden ledge leading to Mal's balcony. From there, she easily manoeuvred herself onto the metal railing, keeping her footsteps light as she bounced down the stairs and onto the ground.

She _did_ question the fact that no one seemed to be following the same path up to Mal's bedroom, since they seemed so eager to trash the entirety of the castle, but she decided to store that thought to the back of her mind. It didn't interest her one bit, especially since she had a much larger goal in mind, but she'd certainly find out tomorrow when the chaos had died down.

Cassie slowly trailed against the wall until she came to the end, her body firmly pressed back into the stony wall as she quickly peered around to see the main entrance of the castle. With all the thieves trailing in and out of the castle with their arms full of objects and clothes, the young girl knew she couldn't follow the main path out into the main street. If she wanted to keep her chances at survival high, she'd have to take the back alleyways and simply hope that there weren't too many villains thinking the exact same thing.

After sucking in a deep breath of reassurance, she moved, constantly looking around to make sure she hadn't been spotted as she snuck into the nearest alley. Only when she was a good few steps into the narrow space did she finally ease, blowing a fidgety strand of mousy-brown hair away from her face as she kept her eyes ahead.

When Cassie came to the end of the alley and out into the market, she finally caught a glimpse of the damage that had been done to the Isle. It hadn't been a picture-perfect landscape to begin with, but even _this_ was staggering.

Ever since she could remember, the Isle had always been in shambles. The majority of the buildings were covered in turf-tags, the old paint chipped away until she had to squint to see it, and whenever she came through there was always someone cleaning up any remnants of destruction from their front door step. But the Islanders had certainly done quite the number tonight.

Cassie warily strolled along the street, keeping close to the walls as she occasionally looked down at her feet, making sure she didn't accidentally step on any broken glass as she looked for a 'special thing'. She now knew that - just from seeing the clutter around her - the chances of her finding something truly beautiful was scarce. It seemed that while she was occupied with staring at the pretty lights earlier on, the rest of the Isle had set to work almost immediately, taking the best of whatever they could find in each and every store.

 _'Damn it,'_ she thought with a frustrated grimace. She already knew before leaving the castle that finding a 'special thing' would be hard, what with the Islanders roaming about the place. But now she knew she'd have to work just a little bit harder to find something worth taking, since anything worthy had already been taken by someone else.

An echoing _thud_ came from around the corner, and Cassie paused in her steps, slowing her movements as she neared the right turn leading into another street. She crouched low and took a little look around the wall, curious to know what was going on only a few feet away from her.

A little ways down the street was a group of five people: Three painfully attempting to shoulder-barge their way into Jafar's Junk Shop while another yelled at them to 'put more effort in'. In her human form and without the aid of her feline senses, Cassie could only just manage to see the outline of the group.

It amused her somewhat to see how much effort they were putting into their thievery, especially since it was no secret that Jafar liked to securely lock up his own store. As far as Cassie knew it'd never been broken into. With the owner's son being a thief himself, it only made sense for them to take great precaution when it came to guarding their own 'goods'. But if people were mad enough to go breaking into Maleficent's castle, then a few random thugs trying their luck at busting into Jafar's place wasn't _too_ surprising.

"Idiots," the little cat quietly remarked with a giggle. Even _she_ wasn't stupid enough to try taking something from Jafar's store at night. She'd only ever gotten lucky once, and that was during the day. All she'd managed to take was a silly golden coin from Jafar's back room, and the notorious villain himself had chased her around the store with a broom when he'd caught her with his precious possession. She'd barely managed to escape him then, and she hadn't been back since, her eagerness to remain alive outweighing her need to take something 'pretty' from him. Although, the choice had also been a lot easier to make when she soon realised how rusty and fake everything in his store was.

"Would ya hurry up?!" Cassie heard one of the men growl toward the three trying to break the door down.

"We're trying, it's nailed shut," another moaned in reply.

"Well then try harder," the first man demanded.

"Hard to bust down a door when you can't see shit. For all I know I've been throwing myself against the wall."

Cassie stayed where she was, intrigued to see if the group would be successful in their efforts. She was betting that they'd lose to the steel-like door, but the Isle had turned upside down tonight and anything was possible.

The group fell into silence and Cassie heard something awfully similar to a match being lit. She found she was correct in her assumptions when a soft glow illuminated the thugs, a small wax candle hidden inside a lantern the only source of light in the street.

With the group now in full view, Cassie took the time to further inspect the bunch. Four guys and a girl. They looked like every other villain on the Isle, with their tattered and torn clothes and dark shades. But the things that set them aside from the others, and raised many red-flags in her mind, was the oddly shaped hats and red bandanas they wore on their heads.

"Pirates," she breathed, a small twinge of apprehension settling in her stomach. She hadn't ever had a run-in with them. Mainly since they stayed closer to the edge of the Isle and near their ships while she herself remained in the centre. To now see them so far from their usual territory was truly a terrifying thing. But she - once again - reminded herself that everything was in disarray tonight.

"There, now ya can see what ya're doin'." The biggest pirate of the group, and the apparent leader, took a step toward them and leaned against the wall next to the door, raising the lantern high. "So get movin'."

The banging started up again, the pirates rather persistent in their task to get the door down, and Cassie stood straight, turning to fully hide herself behind the corner.

She knew she had to walk away, to leave them to their pathetic attempts and go find her 'special thing'. However, there was a small voice in the back of her head urging her to stay where she was, and what was worse was that she knew exactly _why_ she was hesitating.

Cassie had been born and raised on the Isle of the Lost just as all the other villain children had, and during her travels she'd also heard about the pirates living near the water. They usually moved in groups of two or more, they never left home without their swords, they were fiercely loyal to whichever Captain they'd devoted their lives to and - the fact that stood out to her personally - they _always_ sought the best treasure.

Cassie frowned and looked down at the floor, a little unsure about the choice she was about to make. If she walked away there was no guarantee she'd find her 'special thing'. By now the whole Isle had been searched and everything worthy had already been stolen. But, if she stayed where she was and decided to follow the dreaded pirates, there was a small chance she'd find the beautiful thing she'd set out to find.

The thought of finding her 'special thing' soon floated to the top of her mind, pushing away the small niggling in the back of her head telling her that this was a very, _very_ bad idea. So, she went back into position, eagerly waiting for the moment they'd give up on the door and go back to wherever they came from.

"We're not getting in there," one of the pirates mumbled, stopping in his task on the door to knead his right shoulder, a flicker of pain crossing his features.

"Sorry Harry," another pirate, dressed in different shades of brown, muttered apologetically.

The pirate who'd lit the lantern gave a loud yell of annoyance, kicking his boot-clad foot against the sturdy door. It was a good and hard kick, but even Cassie knew there was no getting it open.

"We told Uma we were gonna tag all of _their_ turf," he said, his back still turned to Cassie as he leaned his side against the door. "An' that's what we're gonna do. Tag it."

A shorter and skinnier pirate stepped forward, shaking the can of spray-paint in his right hand before he set to work, spraying whatever mark they all followed on the front door of Jafar's store.

While the little one set to work, Cassie sat down on the cold floor and turned away from the group. She'd never 'tagged' anything before and she had no idea how long it'd take, but she was rather set on finding her 'special thing'.

All she had to do now was sit and wait.

~...~...~

After what felt like an hour, when in reality it could've only been minutes, Cassie finally heard the group begin to move.

"About time," she whispered, getting to her feet and peering around the corner. She wasn't a very patient girl and - for a good few minutes - she'd even considered the idea of abandoning her earlier decision and moving on to another place. But her itching stubbornness had forced her to stay put, and she was somewhat thankful that she had.

Cassie watched as the pirates began to walk away from Jafar's Junk Shop, shouting, hollering, and laughing to themselves about all the hard work they'd done tonight, and she began to follow them silently.

The group of pirates still held the lantern with them, and Cassie mentally thanked that very fact as she carefully took the same path they did. In her human form she could barely see in the dark, and following them was easier when they were plain sight than it would have been had they been submerged in the darkness the Isle had caused.

Cassie followed the bunch as they walked further toward the edges of the Isle, wrinkling her nose with slight displeasure as she began to realise just how popular the streets had become. She couldn't possibly force her way through the retiring crowd as they did, she'd just draw too much attention to herself that way and she needed this task to go as smoothly as possible.

She gave a small huff and kept a close eye on the still-moving group, her head turning quickly as she looked for a way up and onto the top of the buildings. Following the group on the ground would be tough, but stalking them from up high would be easy.

When her gaze finally zeroed in on a rickety wooden ladder, Cassie's eyes practically lit up at the sight. She quickly rushed forward and jumped, gripping the bottom of the ladder and lifting her legs, tucking them into a higher step as she pulled herself up and on to the useful object. She quickly climbed up onto the roof, keeping close to the edge of the building to make sure she didn't lose the pirates.

Following them was relatively easy. The entirety of the Isle had been darkened, only a few lights here and there illuminating the path. But the pirates were surrounded by the glow of the lantern and - much to Cassie's delight - were very loud as they walked. She couldn't really understand how spray-painting one door could make someone so excited, but she also didn't care. Their obvious and audible happiness just made it that much easier to track them, so who was she to complain?

As Cassie moved further away from her home and closer toward the edge of the Isle, her surroundings changed drastically. The air got colder, and before long an odd and displeasing odour filled her nostrils. She hadn't ever been this far out before, so it took her a little longer than she was proud to admit for her to realise that she was smelling the ocean.

With the harsh reminder that she was now in unfamiliar territory drilled into her mind, Cassie took great caution as she continued to follow the pirates. She focussed more on the ground beneath her feet, making sure she stayed on the safe spots when it became clear that wood had been used for the majority of the buildings on this side of the Isle.

As they got closer to their home the pirates got louder. Where they'd been rather tense and aggressive further into the centre of the Isle, they were now filled with joy, a strange light-heartedness in the air when it hadn't been there before.

Cassie watched as the group strolled through a small marketplace of sorts, her wary gaze keeping watch as they stopped in the middle of the path.

The ocean was loud, she realised as she knelt down to better hear what was said. Anything they told each other was inaudible to her ears, the rushing of waves and creaking of wood the only thing to fill her ears in that moment.

Cassie stared down curiously as a tall pirate dressed in red and black separated from the group, taking the lantern with him as he walked in the direction opposite of theirs. The others didn't seem to mind too much, they just carried on their way with a small nod to him, heading back to wherever they came.

Cassie had every intention to go the same way as the group, knowing full well that when someone on the Isle was alone they were a lot more likely to sense some kind of threat. One pirate alone would easily manage to pin-point her if she wasn't careful, whereas a much larger group would ignore their warnings, falling back on the idea that there was safety in numbers.

However, as the taller pirate moved in a different direction, Cassie saw a glimmer of something in his left hand the moment the light touched it. She was surprised she hadn't seen it sooner, but they'd been moving rather quickly and _this_ particular pirate seemed to keep whatever it was close to his body. Either way, the young girls interests had greatly piqued at the sight, her attentions leaving the loud group in favour of the tall pirate who'd left them to go do something else.

The pirate strutted away from his 'crew' and moved back in the direction they'd came, whistling a loud tune that Cassie didn't recognize. She balanced precariously on the questionable wooden beams she now relied on for support, praying with every fibre of her being that gravity didn't fail her. She'd come too far to lose now, and she was most certainly _not_ leaving without her 'special thing'.

Cassie found out soon that this pirate was not, by any means, an idiot. Every now and again he'd stop walking, his whistling dimmed to nothing as he slowly moved his head around, making sure there was no one following him. When he did that, Cassie made sure to stay quiet, kneeling down on the beam that held her until he started walking again. Surely he could feel her intense stare and he wasn't being reckless about it: She'd almost fumbled many times as he attempted to trick her. He continued to mix his actions, sometimes whistling but stopping to look around, or he'd stop making any noise and keep walking. It frustrated her immensely, and she just hoped he'd arrive at his destination soon.

Cassie's prayers were soon answered when the pirate slowed to a stop. He took a quick look around and turned to the right, crossing a small wooden bridge.

She quickly crouched down and held onto the beam, her brows raising as she drank in the sight of something she'd only ever heard of, but never seen.

"Wow," she muttered quietly. She hadn't ever seen a pirate ship with her own eyes before, and even though this one was quite small in size, it still managed to surprise her.

The ship wasn't very clear, but it had a few small lanterns here and there that shed some light on deck, and when Cassie saw the pirate disappear below the surface she decided to take a small break and wait for him to leave. After all, she wasn't stupid enough to go running into a pirate ship with a pirate inside: Especially after seeing how sharp their swords were. Once again, she had to wait. But she had a small feeling it would be worth it.

Her moment came when, not even five minutes later, the pirate came back out from below deck. He whistled again and moved away from the entrance, crossing the small bridge to head in the same direction the others had gone. Only when his voice faded, along with his footsteps, did Cassie move.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter held onto the beam and lowered herself to another, continuing the routine until her feet finally landed on solid ground. She took a quick glance at her surroundings and double-checked that no one was about. When she determined that she was, in fact, alone, she carried on toward the pirate ship.

Cassie hesitated as she stood at the end of the bridge, her gaze often returning to the rushing water only a small drop away. Even in her human form she despised water: An odd trait she surely kept from being in her feline state for so long. Either way, she had no desire to fall in, and the water served as a harsh reminder of just how far she was from home. She couldn't take any risks out here. She _had_ to be careful.

"C'mon girl," she urged herself, quickly turning away from the sight of the water when she became a little nauseous. She held her breath and moved quickly across the bridge, her anxiety heightening as she took in the scene around her. All she had to do was get in and get out as soon as possible, and hopefully with her 'special thing'. However, no 'special thing' was worth her life and if push came to shove she'd gladly leave everything behind and go home.

Despite the astonishment she felt at _actually_ being stood on a pirate ship, Cassie shoved it to the back of her mind and attempted to concentrate fully on fulfilling the task she'd gone out of her way to complete.

The little cat looked to her right and saw the entrance to the ship, the hallway leading down illuminated by numerous lights. She sucked in a deep breath of reassurance and slipped down the small steps and into the hallway.

Cassie tried her luck with every door she could find. All seemed to be locked and - much to her irritation - she was very close to calling it a night and going home. So, when she twisted the doorknob of the very last room and it came open with a _pop_ , she almost jumped and squealed with glee, though she resisted the urge to do just that and instead entered the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Cassie couldn't really assume which pirate the room belonged to, though she took a quick guess that it was the one she'd followed. He'd been the last one to come in and - for reasons unbeknownst to her - the lantern in his room hadn't been blown out. It was an unsettling and subtle threat that he'd be returning soon, and so the cat hurried her movements, the utter dread she felt at knowing there was a risk of her being caught by a pirate ensuring she kept her eyes from wandering to anything that didn't appear to be a 'special thing'.

Her dark eyes quickly closed in on the desk in the corner of the room, and she quickly walked over to scrutinize the many objects laid out on the desk. She was rather disheartened to find only trinkets and maps and other random things she had no desire to take, and for a moment she wondered if this had all been a complete and utter waste of her time.

Then she saw it. Carefully hanging down from a hook messily hammered into the wall was a pretty golden necklace of some sort. Just from the way it was placed she could tell it wasn't like the others, since the objects she'd quickly browsed on his desk had been carelessly thrown down, whereas _this_ particular thing had been neatly hung up on the wall.

Cassie took a step forward and held the necklace in her fingers. It wasn't like the other things on the Isle that were scratched and dirtied from the unkind treatment of their owners. This item was smooth and clean, the golden shine glowing from the candlelight alone. She furrowed her brows in confusion as a small and faint ticking came from the necklace, and her hands probed at the object until she pushed down on the small button at the top.

The palm-sized and circular charm popped open, and Cassie smiled widely as she realised that it wasn't a necklace at all. It was a pocket-watch.

A long time ago, before he'd had lost his sanity completely, her father used to tell her stories of the White Rabbit he knew back in their homeland. A speedy, frantic little creature that was constantly obsessed with punctuality, and who always carried a pocket watch around his neck to remind him of the time.

Cassie had many things in her growing pile back at Bargain Castle. Necklaces, rings, earrings, coins of gold and silver, a few pretty gems here and there. What she _didn't_ have was a pocket watch.

Not until now anyway.

Cassie gently removed the watch from its place on the hook and pulled the golden chain over her head. She carefully gripped her hair at the nape of her neck and pulled, removing each long strand from underneath the chain until she was satisfied. She didn't have any pockets on her dress so taking things had always been a rather small nuisance, but this _very_ special thing fell comfortably around her neck, the watch resting against the space above her belly button.

"Well, well, well," a deep and mocking voice sang from behind Cassie. She jumped high and turned swiftly, the familiar nausea returning as she found herself facing the very pirate she'd followed almost all night. "Hello kitty, kitty."

 _'Oh shit.'_

* * *

AN;

So that's the end of this chapter. Pretty uneventful and short, I know, but the first chapter is always to introduce you to the OC's personality and such.

If you have any questions feel free to leave them in a Review or PM me, and feedback is always greatly appreciated - but no flames please.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Daddy Issues

AN;

Warnings for this chapter;

. Swearing  
. Violence (Nothing graphic, but the intent is there.)

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Cassie realised quickly that getting into his room had been way too easy, and in her mind she relentlessly scolded herself for not having seen it sooner. All the other doors had been locked tight, all except _his_. But, while she felt greatly annoyed at being bested by a pirate, she had to admit he was quite the clever one.

She quickly glanced at the open door behind him, knowing full well that - if she was lucky enough to somehow catch him off guard - she could slip by and be on her way. Cassie didn't want to fight him, and if she could spare herself from doing so then she would. All she really wanted to do now was go back home, but if she had to throw a few to stay alive then she was more than willing to do so.

The pirate in front of her didn't move, and for that fact alone Cassie was slightly grateful. He kept his distance, standing tall and unmoving from his spot close to the door. His eyes slowly scrutinized her from head to toe, a small and thoughtful frown on his face as he debated on whether or not she posed a large threat to him.

When his gaze narrowed in on the pocket watch around her neck, Cassie clasped the charm tight in her right hand, hiding it from his view. As soon as she did, though, his eyes snapped up to meet hers. She hardened her gaze and he tilted his head in slight intrigue, his eyes darting between her own and the object she grasped in her hand.

 _'Mine.'_ She didn't have to say it out loud for him to get the idea. The glare on her face and the whitening of her knuckles around the charm spoke volumes. The 'special thing' might have been his only minutes ago, but now it was hers, and she wasn't giving it up for anything.

The pirate in front of her stared back, his glare almost mirroring hers precisely. He raised his chin and dropped his arms to his sides, his shoulders back and chest pushed out in a rather overdramatic display of strength. He was showing her that, between the two of them, he was the biggest in the room right now and there was no way she could possibly match up to him.

Even in her human form, Cassie always relied on body-language to make her decisions. Soft and soothing voices didn't mean anything to her, especially if they had evil intentions: Which the majority of the Isle possessed when it came to her. She wouldn't dare go anywhere near someone if she thought for one second that they were a threat. After all, she was rather small in her feline state and she could never attempt to win a fight with a rather large person. Even in her human form she was small, and though her slender body and short stature helped her hide, it didn't quite help her when she had to seem somewhat threatening.

In a matter of seconds this pirate had shown her that he was the dominant one between them, and that _he_ would be the one to win if she had to fight her way out. And while it greatly pained her to admit it, she had to admit it was true.

Cassie gave a small pout of displeasure, and the pirate smirked. He kept his posture straight and took a step forward, only to stop and give a small chuckle as Cassie growled a small warning. It wasn't exactly as threatening as it would have been while she was in her feline form, but it got her point across.

"Now that _that's_ out of the way," he muttered, "Who exactly are ya?"

Cassie pursed her lips and crossed her arms, her brows raised as she rather blatantly refused to answer his question. This man didn't _need_ to know her name or who she was. He didn't need to know _anything_ , and she had absolutely no desire to tell him either.

"Not much of a talker, are ya?" he wondered, noting her defiance. "Well then, if ya won' tell me who ya are, then tell me what ya're doin' on _my_ ship."

Cassie's mouth dropped open at his words, and a small shiver made its way through her body. She hadn't even considered the idea that she was dealing with the _Captain_ of the ship she was on, she'd just assumed he was a part of the crew. In a way, though, it made sense. The way he presented himself, even before she'd gotten close to him, was very 'alpha-male' in a way. Everything about him screamed 'Isle' or 'leader' and she hated to admit that it scared her.

"Oh I can' wait till Uma hears about this," he laughed.

Cassie frowned, her brows furrowed in slight confusion. "Uma?" she asked.

"Ah! So she does speak," he exclaimed happily, taking yet another step forward.

Cassie spread her legs slightly, her feet firmly planted against the floor, and growled once more. The danger he presented was not lost on the young girl. If he came any closer then she had no choice: She would have to run.

The pirate laughed at her attempt to keep him back, and Cassie rolled her eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing, and now so did she. He could have run straight toward her as soon as he caught her in his room, but he hadn't. For whatever reason, this pirate seemed to enjoy messing around with people and she was merely another victim.

" _Uma_ is my Captain," he explained, "She's the one who'll decide what ta do with ya."

Cassie knew that she should have felt, at least a little, worried about what he said. After all, she wasn't naïve, even she'd heard that pirates often enjoyed sending their enemies into the dangerous water below their ships. But his statement only raised more questions in her mind.

"Uma's your Captain?" she asked, and he nodded. "But you said this was _your_ ship."

The pirate smiled and held out his arms. "It is my ship, love."

"But you're not the Captain," she pointed out, her complete bewilderment rather obvious. "How is it yours if you're not the Captain?"

The pirate scowled at her persistent curiosity and Cassie realised she'd hit a touchy subject, of sorts. The mischievous glimmer in his bright-blue eyes was long gone, replaced with something that - even though she had no idea what it was - unnerved her. He didn't talk again and neither did she, knowing full well that she'd let her mouth run again and it had gotten herself into something she could have avoided.

However, how was she to know her inquiries would piss him off? Despite the rather volatile tension brewing between the both of them, Cassie felt she'd been rather justified in her question. She'd assumed he was the Captain when he announced the ship she now stood on was his, and he had really puzzled her when he brought up this 'Uma' person. Cassie hadn't ever been around pirates before, so how on earth was she supposed to know how things worked? She just assumed that if someone owned the ship, then they were automatically declared Captain. It wasn't her fault she was rather anti-social and didn't know anything about anyone unless it was whispered on the street.

From the looks she was currently receiving, though, Cassie had a small feeling this pirate wasn't quite so eager to hear her out.

"I'll ask ya again, little kitty. What the fuck are ya doin' on _my_ ship?" His voice was strong and loud, the unusual accent he held thicker when he was angry. She knew she had to answer straight this time... or else.

"Isn't it obvious?" she wondered, her hand pointedly loosening around the charm to reveal it to him.

"Ah," the pirate chuckled humourlessly, her earlier - and apparently offensive - question still firmly rooted in his mind. "So ya're a thief then."

Cassie growled once more, this one much louder than her warnings before. "I am _not_ a thief!"

The pirate's earlier grin slid back onto his face, irritating Cassie further. She loathed that term with every fibre of her being. She wasn't a thief, not really. Yes, she sometimes took things that didn't belong to her, and maybe she did, technically, 'borrow' them from their original owners. But thieves were slippery and sneaky, dipping their grubby little fingers into the pockets of everyone for absolutely no reason. They took whatever they wanted and - as far as she knew - they took things they didn't even need. They were greedy and selfish and everything she hated, and she didn't consider herself one. She herself only took the pretty things, the _special_ things, objects that were beautiful and meaningful and everything the Isle wasn't. She was a collector, _not_ a thief.

"Sorry kitty-cat," the pirate winced with mock-sympathy. "Did I touch a soft spot there?"

Cassie sighed and lowered her eyes for a moment. She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her, not now while she was cornered in his room and severely outmatched. She had to play it smart and bide her time.

"Tell me then love," he began, crossing his arms across his chest. "If ya're not a thief, then what are ya?"

Cassie frowned and eyed him warily, a little unsure of whether she should answer or not. Everyone dubbed her a 'thief', and she never stuck around long enough for them to ask anything else. By the time they realised something of theirs was missing she was long gone, already half-way home and toying with whatever 'special thing' she'd found that night. She didn't speak to people, and people didn't speak to her. Not that that was an option during the day. She only ever left the tower when she felt that familiar itch again, and she did what she had to and then went home. So for her to stand here now with this pirate and have him actually _ask_ her what she did... well, it certainly wasn't something she was used to.

He'd thrown her off completely. She knew he didn't really want to hear her answer: If anything he was probably toying with her again. And while she partly wished he'd just do something and get it over with, a tiny fraction of her wanted to tell him. The idea of someone... anyone, knowing why she did what she did was rather enticing in its own way, and she couldn't ignore it.

"I-I only take the pretty things," she admitted quietly, almost bashfully.

"The pricey things, then," he assumed, and she vehemently shook her head.

"I don't sell them. I keep them."

The pirate frowned and tilted his head, and Cassie _almost_ giggled. "What do ya do with 'em?" he asked with obvious confusion.

"I play with them," she said with a small shrug. "I like how pretty they are." The little cat could tell by the puzzled expression on his face that he still had no idea what she was talking about, but she didn't quite care either. He was listening to her, and that was more than anyone else had ever done.

"Why did ya follow me?" he asked rather abruptly.

"You had something with you when you left the others," she replied honestly. "Something shiny. It caught my eye, I guess."

The pirate laughed in amusement and raised a brow. "Was it this?" He raised his left arm and Cassie shrank back, another growl forming at the back of her throat. "Easy little kitty," he reassured her, "I just wanna show ya somethin'."

Cassie nodded, but made sure to keep her concentration this time. During their small 'chat' she'd gotten lost in the topic at hand, and had somehow forgotten just how much shit she was in, and how dangerous this pirate was _or_ could be. She couldn't let her guard down in here, not for a single second.

He carried on raising his arm, slower this time now that he knew she wasn't a fan of quick movements, and Cassie felt somewhat relieved at the fact. She kept her eyes on his as he moved, looking for any sign that he may try and hurt her, but her gaze immediately swayed when the soft glow from the candle reflected on whatever it was he was holding.

A small gasp of wonderment came through her parted lips, and she took a hesitant step closer. She'd always been a huge fan of finding 'special things' that she hadn't ever been able to find before, and _this_ was one of them.

The object in question was only a hook; Albeit a very large one. It had a handle for him to safely keep hold of it, and the shape was somewhat astounding. It looked so smooth and so well polished that she knew it wasn't just another stupid weapon on the Isle. It shined and held a rather murky reflection of anything close, but the light bounced off of it in just the right way, and she was so utterly captivated.

"Ya like this, don' ya?" he whispered, and she nodded. He ever so slowly moved it from side to side, and her dark eyes followed. "Would ya class this as a 'pretty thing' love?"

"Yes," she breathed instantaneously, the beautiful object around her neck quickly forgotten. "I've never had a hook before." He gave a small laugh at her admission, and though it confused her greatly she didn't focus on it.

"Trust me on this, love, if ya weren' tryin' ta steal from me then ya would've by now."

Cassie paused and ran his rather odd remark through her mind. "Huh?" she wondered.

"Hook." The pirate licked his lips and stared down at her, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "It's my name, love."

All too quickly, the weight of the situation came down on Cassie like a bucket of ice-cold water. She swiftly took a few steps away from him, not realising before just how close he'd managed to pull her in when he showed her his hook.

 _'Oh you stupid fuck-'_ Cassie cut her inner rant away in an instant, but the overwhelming idiocy and embarrassment wasn't lost on her. She'd been so preoccupied with finding and keeping her 'special thing' that she hadn't even noticed the weapon he carried around with him. She couldn't admit that she knew who he was, but she'd heard rather terrifying tales about his father. How he was the most ruthless and insane pirate on the Isle, and how he'd spent a good amount of his villainous life trying to murder a thirteen year-old boy. The Hook name wasn't foreign to her, not even in the middle of the Isle, but she never thought she'd have the misfortune to meet the man himself.

But she wasn't dealing with Captain Hook: She was dealing with his _son_. No one could possibly be of rational mind after being raised by a psychotic - and rather powerful - father. The man she was dealing with now had become a much larger threat than she'd anticipated, and she knew that - if she escaped this alive - she'd be kicking herself for not noticing it sooner all damn night.

"I'm a little hurt love," the pirate laughed, apparently satisfied with the reaction she'd given him. "All I did was tell ya my name, an' now look at ya. Not so curious anymore, are we?"

Cassie pouted childishly. "What do you want?"

"I want a lot of things little kitty, but right _now_ all I want is yar name."

"Why?" she snapped, lightly shuffling her weight from foot to foot. She couldn't hide how anxious she was now, and she was more than ready to run the moment she had the green light.

"'Y' is a letter you ought to know better," he drawled ominously, and Cassie raised her brows with utter bewilderment.

"Wha-"

"Tell me yer name, kitty," he demanded firmly, cutting through her question before it was even asked.

"It's Cassie," she said rapidly, regretting her answer as soon as it flew through her lips. She truly hadn't planned on telling him anything, but he was somehow different from others she'd encountered on the Isle and - for some ridiculous reason - her annoyance flared around him. One minute he was a threat, and then he wasn't, and then he was again. It was all very frustrating and she didn't like it one bit.

"Cassie eh?" the pirate repeated with a small nod, testing the name on his tongue. "I like it. It suits ya."

Cassie didn't dignify him with a response. How could she? She'd already embarrassed herself enough tonight. First by not seeing the obvious trap laid out for her on the ship, then for even talking to him about her strange habits, and lastly for not recognizing him as Hook's son the minute she laid eyes on his weapon. She was really out of sorts tonight.

"So here's what's gonna happen little kitty," he began slowly, and she frowned. "Ya're gonna put that-" he pointed to the pocket watch around her neck, "-back where ya found it." She opened her mouth to object, but he carried on. " _But_ I like ya. So I'm gonna let ya go."

Cassie's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"Hmm, I don' know what it is about ya love. It does seem like a waste ta kill ya," he commented with a small sigh, his eyes slowly raking over her form once again. "I'd hate ta have ta hook somethin' so pretty."

Cassie felt the small hairs on the back of her neck raise at the thought of his hook piercing her skin, but she couldn't withhold a small scoff at his words. How could someone this insane be so charming? It was ridiculous, and not at all fair.

"How 'bout this then, love. I'll let ya take somethin' from my own little treasures over there," He tilted his head to the side and Cassie looked over, wrinkling her nose at the pathetic knock-offs on his desk. "Think of it as a reminder of our little chat. Eh?"

Cassie lightly rolled her eyes skyward to make it seem as though she were debating his offer, when in reality it was somewhat far from her mind. He was being rather generous with her now, and even though she had no idea why, she wasn't about to challenge him outright. But he was so willing to hand over whatever trinket he had on his desk, and yet he'd told her to put the pocket watch back. She would understand him more if she was trying to take his hook. After all, he seemed to keep it close to him and was rather unwilling to part with it. But he'd left the pocket watch in his room, _unattended_ , like it was a simple piece of wall art, when in reality it was so much more.

"Does this mean something to you?" she asked instead, sliding the charm between her fingers.

"If I said yeah, would ya hand it over?"

This pirate was good; _Very_ good, in fact. All night he'd had her stumped and struggling to answer, and since he'd confronted her she'd been on a small whirlwind of emotions. But now she had him. He could try to act indifferent to the fact she had the pocket watch around her neck, but even she'd noticed the way his eyes often wandered down to the object she held. She didn't know if he knew, but he held his breath every time she played with the pocket watch, as if her small hands would somehow break it. For whatever reason, he really wasn't enjoying the fact that she had his pocket watch, and Cassie could only assume it meant something more to him in some way.

However, his obvious desire to take back what was his just made Cassie want it more. It wasn't just a 'special thing' anymore. Now, it was a _meaningful_ 'special thing'. The best thing of all. The personal and beautiful objects were the hardest to find, especially on the Isle where people didn't care about anything but themselves. The majority of the Isle residents would happily trade their own family members for something they thought they needed, but she'd somehow found the one person who had something that held personal significance, and it just so happened to be a very beautiful thing.

"I think I'm gonna keep it," the little cat told him with a long-winded sigh.

Her answer didn't please him one bit. "Ya're playin' a very dangerous game little kitty," he told her, stretching out his arm to point the dreaded hook in her direction. "Ya're jus' as crazy as yar dad if ya think ya're leavin' with _that_."

The mere mention of her father sent the small girl into a rather sudden, and overwhelming, fit of anger. She was genuinely surprised when instead of a growl, a pitched hissing noise came from her throat. Her dark eyes flashed a bright and luminescent yellow, and for a moment her vision made an abrupt and startling transition.

"Another one with daddy issues, eh?" the pirate taunted, releasing a small and hateful chuckle in her direction. "Why am I not surprised?" He moved his arm back to his side and looked her over once more. Instead of the intrigue and slight amusement his eyes held before, this time it was something akin to disappointment. Apparently, the small revelation that she was deeply offended by someone talking bad about her father lessened his interest in some way.

" _I've_ got daddy issues?" she snapped in retaliation, pushing her small 'episode' to the back of her mind. "I'm not the one running around with a hook on my hand, am I? I didn't join some stupid little pirate crew to prove something to my father-"

"Ya don' wanna do this, love," he warned, the small circle of black in his eyes contracting with each shot she fired at him.

"What? You don't like it?" she continued, ignoring the red flags waving erratically in her head. She'd only just met the guy, and she didn't know shit about him or his father, but by the way he was reacting she could safely assume she was hitting the mark. "Lemme guess, the big bad crocodile didn't want your hand, huh? Can't say I blame him. I've heard about _your_ daddy too, yah know. Poor Tic-Tock, probably didn't want to spend the rest of the night throwing up all that black, tainted blood in your veins."

That was it; That was what broke the pirate. Cassie barely had time to dodge the vicious swing he took with his hooked hand, but she _did_. He was undoubtedly stronger, but she was much, much faster. When he fell over the edge and decided to make his move, taking a large lunge forward at the same time, he put a decent amount of space between himself and the door. Enough distance for Cassie to quickly slide underneath his arm and take the escape given to her.

It didn't take long for Cassie to sprint through the hallway and back up onto the ship. She ran with as much speed as she had in her, her small legs carrying her over the bridge she'd found so hard to cross and into the maze that was the Isle streets. She had no idea which way to go, or which way was safest, but she could clearly hear the loud _thuds_ his footsteps made as he chased her, so she tried hard not to think. All she had to do was get back into familiar territory and take it from there.

"Cassie!"

She ignored him as he called her name, her entire form filled with a fierce determination to get back home. If he caught her then he'd kill her, and she had no doubts about that fact. She'd been stupid enough to push him like he had her, and now she was really paying for it.

Cassie made a sharp turn to the right, only to find herself in a state of utter panic when she realised she'd hit a dead end. She ran her hands through her hair with frustration, her head twisting in every direction in an attempt to seek out some kind of exit route. But there wasn't one. No ladders, no holes in the walls for her to try and climb. Nothing.

"No! No, no, no," she muttered in disbelief, her heart beating loudly in her ears and painfully in her chest as she realised there really was no way for her to get out of this one.

"Cassie!"

The small girl trembled at the sound of his voice, a quiet whimper leaving her throat as she realised how close he was. She slowly wrapped her arms around herself and stumbled back into the wall caging her in, sliding her back against the wooden planks as she sank to the dirty and cold floor.

In some way, Cassie had always known that her curiosity and unrelenting stubbornness would eventually lead to her death on the Isle. She'd always been such a nosy little thing, constantly intrigued by shiny and pretty objects, and every time before she knew one day she wouldn't be as fortunate as to make it back home. But she really hadn't imagined her 'time' would come so early on in her life.

Cassie took deep and shaky breaths, her dark eyes wandering down to the pocket-watch still around her neck. If she'd just given it back to him then he would have let her go. Although _,_ on the Isle, people rarely stuck to their word and she truly had no way of knowing if he really would have let her walk away. She preferred to assume he would've killed her then and there. At least then she could reassure herself that running had been the right thing.

She pushed down on the button above the stop-watch and it popped open. It really was a 'special thing', maybe the most special of all since she'd soon be dead because of it.

A small and sad smile spread across her face as she watched the hands on the clock move. The hands read five o'clock, and Cassie couldn't deny her slight surprise at the sight. She was very rarely out of her home when the sun came up, since she almost always made sure she got back before sunrise. After all, she couldn't ever risk the transition in such plain sight, and bringing her 'special things' back home was always such a pain in the ass when she was in her feline form.

 _'Motherfucker!'_ she thought, her eyes widening with hope and realisation. She jumped to her feet and looked up at the dark clouds that always loomed over the Isle, the grey now faintly tinged with specks of orange and pink. She yelped in great happiness and turned around to face the wall, her hands firmly pressed against the wood as she peeked through the cracks. She had to make sure it wasn't just wishful thinking. She _had_ to make sure it really was morning.

Cassie felt it taking place before she saw it, and for the first time in a long while she couldn't completely hate it. Her nose crinkled as she smiled, a breathy giggle of relief coming through her lips. She didn't know if her prayers had been answered, or if she somehow had the most amazing luck in the land tonight, either way she couldn't contain how truly grateful she felt.

She wasn't going to die. Not tonight anyway.

The small girl closed her eyes and tilted her head back, her feet and legs becoming numb as her 'curse' took place. The rest of her body soon followed suit, and for a tiny second she felt absolutely nothing, like she was floating mid-air. But the dreaded sensation of feeling like someone had punched her in the stomach with all of their strength also returned, and Cassie couldn't hold the shriek in her throat as pins-and-needles spread through every inch of her skin.

In a quick flash of white light, Cassie finally felt her feet touch the ground. But instead of the two normal feet she enjoyed using, she now had four paws.

 _'Damn it,'_ she thought, the sound of crunching gravel hitting her sensitive ears. She couldn't stick around for him to find her, but she couldn't leave her clothes and 'special thing' either.

Cassie jumped to action in an instant, her small fangs closing in around the soft material of the dress she wore in the night-time. She struggled to drag it back behind a small wooden crate, and she repeated the motion with her shoes and the 'special thing' until every item she held was hidden safely. She made sure to nestle the pocket-watch into the bundle, securely hidden amongst the black fabric. It wasn't the smartest decision she'd ever made, but it was the only one she could make.

When her job was done, Cassie slid into the small crate, her wide and yellow eyes eagerly awaiting the pirate she could hear approaching. She knew he wouldn't see her, but she had to hide anyway. He was a smart one, and since he seemed to know full well who her father was, all it would take was one look at the black cat that appeared out of nowhere and he'd know it was her.

The pirate soon appeared from behind the corner, and Cassie shrank back, her thick tail fluffing in alert at the sight of him. He didn't linger long on the alley she was in. A quick look around and he was gone again, muttering obscenities as he stormed back the way he came from.

Cassie slowly manoeuvred out from behind the crate as soon as he left. She could still hear his footsteps as he walked away, and his insults were loud and clear in her ears. He really wasn't pleased that she'd gotten away from him, and Cassie knew that from this point on she'd have to use extreme caution when she eventually left Bargain Castle again. She'd never taken a 'special thing' and been seen by the victim before, but this time he'd really seen her, and she knew now that - for a good while at least - she'd have a small target painted on her back.

With the threat gone, Cassie finally let herself relax. Not too much, though. She was still on unfamiliar territory, after all, and it would take a little time for her to get back to Bargain Castle. The worst thing of all, though, was that she'd have to do it without her belongings. Dragging them through the streets would only draw attention, and she really didn't want to get them dirty. All she could do was leave them and return before the sun went down, and after that she could leave this side of the Isle for good. She'd almost lost her life to the pirate and it wasn't a lesson she was going to forget anytime soon.

The small girl, now a small and furry black cat, begrudgingly started her walk home. She really, _really_ didn't want to leave her things behind, and she hated the idea of having to come back to this side of town to get them. She just assured herself that after tonight she'd get her stuff and leave, and she wouldn't ever have to be here again.

That was the hope anyway.

~...~...~

Harry shoved the doors to Ursula's Chip Shoppe open with a great force, the rickety doors barely staying put as they crashed against the wall. He hastily removed his sword and placed it into the sword check box, only then continuing his journey to find his Captain.

Everything had been going so well. The Core Four had willingly abandoned the Isle and decided to stay in Auradon, their declaration of choosing 'good' seen by everyone with a T.V.. And, with Maleficent gone as well, so was the Isle's hierarchy. Everyone on the damn island had been fighting their way up the ladder tonight, stealing, trashing and murdering whoever and whatever they felt like. But while the rest of the Isle had been erratically proving their own points, he and the crew had been given their own task to complete.

 _'They're gone, now it's our turn. It's time to show the Isle who we are.'_

The first mate replayed Uma's words in his head perfectly. She'd wanted to erase every memory of the Core Four from the Isle and he'd done his best to follow her wishes. They'd spray-painted nearly every territory mark and more, even going as far as to hit Jafar's Junk Shop, Hell Hall, and even the Evil Queen's Castle. They'd had a mark to make and they'd done it. By the time the new day was over everyone would know who they are, and who had taken over the Isle. Their time had finally come and they weren't going to waste any of it.

Harry shoved an innocent bystander into another table, his overwhelming frustration at having lost the little kitty still fresh. He wasn't in the mood to play today, and it was all _her_ fault.

The son of Hook quickly pushed down on the button on the T.V., the ramblings of a well-dressed woman filling the otherwise silent room. He slid himself onto the stool next to Gil, removing the tricorn hat from his head and placing it beside him on the table. His eyes, surrounded by thick and black eyeliner he'd stolen from his sister months ago, stared a hole into the table, his twisted mind forming new and rather creative ways to hook the little kitty when he found her again.

A blue tray filled with chips, and whatever the hell else, dropped down in front of him, blocking his view of the table, and Harry looked up.

"You did good," his Captain praised with a small smirk, resting her right hip against the table.

Harry grunted and nodded his head in thanks, grasping a mushy and cold chip with his fingers and chucking it into his mouth. He didn't mean to be so short with Uma, but he really couldn't help himself. The little cat had put him in a bad mood and until he had her warm blood dripping from his hook it wouldn't leave. He had to find her again, but his eyes itched awfully from the lack of sleep and his stomach rumbled, both small reminders that until he ate and slept for an hour, or two at least, he wouldn't be able to find her.

Uma pursed her lips in slight annoyance. She thought that, after last night, he'd be in somewhat of a good mood. But instead he was sulking, chewing on his food with little enthusiasm as his eyes roamed the room in thought. "What?" she demanded.

The first mate rolled his eyes and reluctantly turned his head. "What are ya on about?" he asked her with a groan.

"You got your 'hook face' on," she said, her brows raising as she pointed towards his face. "Something happened."

"Nothin' happened, alright?" he muttered curtly, lowering his voice to avoid any of the customers overhearing their conversation. "Drop it, yeah?"

The teal-haired Captain furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, standing straight in an obvious sign of defiance. "No," she said firmly.

"Uma," he warned with a growl. He wouldn't dare hurt his Captain, but he was teetering on the edge right now and Uma was fond of pushing.

"Gil saw you like-" she paused and thought for a second, "- an hour and a half ago. What happened?"

Harry clenched his jaw and brought his hook down onto the table with a loud and echoing _thud_ , the sharp point digging firmly into the surface. He looked up and found the entire Shoppe had fallen into silence, the surrounding pirates staring wide and fearfully towards him and Uma.

"What?!" the Captain yelled fiercely, and the customers rushed to continue what they'd been doing before Harry had lost his temper.

When she was satisfied everyone had stopped looking, Uma turned back to Harry and stared up at him in silence, patiently waiting for him to explain. She hadn't been at all shaken or startled by his small act of vandalism in her Shoppe; If anything she'd half-expected it. After all, they'd known each other for so long now and she knew his bad habits just as well as she knew the good. If Harry really wanted to hurt her then the hook would be inside her stomach, not firmly lodged in her table. Something, or someone, had made him lose it this morning, and she just had to find out what.

"What happened out there, Harry?" she asked again.

"Not 'ere," the first mate replied with a grunt, yanking his hook from the wood in a rather smooth motion. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Fine, c'mon." Uma turned and walked quickly toward the back room. She didn't have to turn to make sure he was coming, she knew he was.

They walked past the kitchen, and past the stairs leading down to her mom's 'room', following the small hallway until they came into the supply room. It stank of fish, the wet floor slippery beneath their feet as they carefully entered. It was mostly used for storing the food not being used, but it was also Uma's room when they had to talk about something away from the rest of the crew. No one was stupid enough to risk her mom catching them out of the Shoppe, and barely anyone could stand the smell. It wasn't top-notch, but it was all she had.

"Right, spill," she demanded, perching at the edge of a wooden box.

"I felt someone followin' us when we were finishin' up," he began, running his fingers through his hair with utter exasperation. "It wasn' gone when we got back so I split from the lads, went to the ship instead."

"Made yourself a target; Smart," noted Uma, then giving a small nod for him to continue.

"I tried ta throw 'em off, tried ta catch 'em out; Nothin' happened. So I did something differen', I went inta the ship and then came out, made it look like I was comin' back 'ere."

The teal-haired Captain listened as he carried on with his story, noticing the way his right hand constantly clenched and unclenched. He was pissed, that much was obvious, and she really had to wonder exactly what happened to make him so angry.

"I waited 'round the corner for 'em ta show up, an' they did. She moved quick though, went straight below deck," he explained.

"You let an intruder into the ship?" she inquired, pressing her lips together as a small wave of annoyance rushed through her.

"Will ya jus' listen?" he sighed impatiently, and Uma nodded reluctantly. "Anyway, they went in an' I came in after. I knew where she was, I was clever enough ta leave my door unlocked-"

"Harry." Uma interrupted him, ignoring the scowl he fired in her direction. "I've got shit to do, can we get to the point?"

"She took the watch, Uma," spat Harry, slamming his closed fist against the wall.

The Captain raised her brows with utter bewilderment. She knew Harry could lose his shit at the smallest things, but this was absolutely ridiculous. All this trouble over one little watch? Surely he was losing his mind... more than he already had anyway.

"Harry, we're gonna be running this place soon. When we do, you can take all the watches you want, 'kay?" she told him with over-exaggerated and feigned reassurance, rising to her feet when she felt satisfied with the information he'd given her.

"Ya don' get it, Uma," he seethed, his blue eyes burning with an intense fury. Uma didn't know what the little kitty had taken from him, if she did then she wouldn't be so quick to dismiss his words.

"It's a fucking watch, Harry!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in light exasperation.

The first mate bit down on his tongue to avoid lashing out at his Captain - and best friend. He stalked forward and craned his neck awkwardly, staring straight into her dark eyes. "She didn' take _a_ watch, Uma, she took _the_ watch." He scanned his Captain's face attentively, his anger dimming somewhat as he took in each change of her expression when she _finally_ understood what he was telling her.

Uma's mouth dropped open in obvious shock, her brows practically raising to her hairline as she repeated his words in her head. "Oh shit." Was all she managed to whisper.

"Oh shite, indeed," he agreed, backing away from his Captain.

"W-who was it?" she asked, unabashedly showing just how taken aback she was at the news he'd just given her. In truth she was very, very eager to know who had been stupid enough to steal Harry's pocket watch and think they could get away with it. Her first mate might not be as famous on the other parts of the Isle, but since they'd formed their crew he'd certainly made a name for himself: And not in a good way. Surely whoever this person was had heard about him, and for some insane reason this person had been idiotic enough to take one of the two objects he actually cared about.

Whoever it was, they were definitely dead.

" _Her_ name is Cassie," he told her, lightly carving lines into the wall with his hook. "Cheshire Cat's daughter."

"You sure?"

"You know anyone else who'd run 'round with hardly any clothes on an' cat ears on their 'ead?" he deadpanned, and Uma glared in response. "She got pissed when I mentioned tha guy."

"So," the teal-haired girl breathed with a long sigh, finally coming back to her usual self now that the surprise had worn off. "What are you gonna do?" A part of her didn't want to know, but as his Captain she had to. It was her job to take care of her crew, and even though they were on the same level Harry was included in this. He took care of her, and she took care of him, and that hadn't changed. But it was also their turn to rule the Isle, and she had to know that he wouldn't be reckless with his new power. One little cat wouldn't be a problem, but if that cat had certain allies then it could become a big issue. Especially when they were so short with numbers.

"I may need some 'elp findin' the little kitty. When I do I don' need anyone else, I get ta do what I need ta do. Is that alright?" He was asking for permission, and that was a true rarity when it came to Harry. He was wildly impulsive, and adored messing around with people on the Isle. But he was loyal, and sometimes understanding. He knew she had a higher authority when it came to them both, and he knew full well the problems he could cause if he hooked the wrong person. If she said no then he'd take her answer and leave, go back home and wreak havoc on whichever poor soul that happened to come into his view on the way. But if she said yes then he could do what he had to with no restrictions and no worries. In the end, she was Captain, and he would always listen to her.

"I know what the watch means to you," she whispered thoughtfully, her right hand taking the familiar path up towards the chain around her neck. She didn't care much for her mom anymore, but she still felt the joy and pride she'd felt that day when her mom had given her the necklace. The first time she'd gone into the water she was once so scared of, and successfully transformed into the ocean-dwelling being she was always supposed to be, her mom had been strangely pleased. And to show just how happy she was with her daughter she'd given her something priceless.

The pocket watch the Cheshire Cat's daughter had taken was to Harry what Uma's shell necklace was to her. It was the first - and last - time their parents had ever shown any interest in their offspring, and it certainly wasn't something a thief could take without punishment.

"Go for it."

Harry stayed silent for a moment, lightly shaking his head to make sure he'd heard her clearly. "Ya what?"

"Do it," she said, clearer this time. She understood what he had to do and she knew full well she'd be the same way if someone took her pendant from her. "But be careful about this, Harry. We don't need a war on our asses."

"Ya insultin' my intelligence, Uma?" he teased with a large grin of excitement. Harry chuckled at the unamused look she gave him and took her left hand in his right, lifting her knuckles to his face to press a gentle kiss there. "I won' let ya down."

* * *

AN;

Hi readers! Just wanted to say a big thank-you to you who've reviewed, favourited and followed. It means a lot that you like this and are interested in reading more.

Sasha2702; I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, I hope you like this one as well :)

StrawberryNeko7; I'm so glad you enjoy my writing, it means a lot :) And I'm really happy you enjoy how I write Harry in these fics. It's a lot darker than a few other stories I've read but - in my mind at least, Harry's a pretty crazy character and capable of doing terrible things. But I'm glad you like it.

Lola Vegas; :D

X Blue Eyed Demon X; I'm glad you liked the first chapter!

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you think, or if you have any questions and stuff. And follows and favourites are also appreciated!

Thanks!

Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through.


	3. Go Hard or Go Home

Warnings;

. Swearing.  
. Violence I guess? I don't know I'm just being careful.

This is a pretty dark-ish chapter and it does get a bit intense-ish towards the end. So, yeah, here's a warning.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

It was nearing eight o'clock when Cassie found the courage to travel back into pirate territory. The sun would be setting soon, and since she had very little idea on how to get back to where she'd put her 'stash' that morning, she knew she'd need the extra time to safely locate her belongings.

Despite the fear inducing start she'd made to the day, the oncoming hours had been rather uneventful. It had taken the little cat almost an hour to finally find her way back into the middle of the Isle, then another hour after taken up by her growing curiosity to see the damage done that night. Much to her relief, the Isle had returned back to normal. But, even now, many of the residents were still cleaning up outside their homes or stores, nailing wood and raggedy old blankets to the glassless windows. Doors were replaced, trash was thrown out into the alleyways, cluttering the already hard-to-move areas. And Cassie had seen more theft today than ever before. Shop owners were desperate to reclaim whatever they'd lost during the night, and sneaky little homeless pests jumped at the chance to finally steal something useful. It wasn't as chaotic as it had been during the night before, but it was a little hectic.

After all the turmoil she'd had to face, Cassie had stumbled her way back to Bargain Castle, taking her usual route since she hadn't been too sure if the castle's owners were home or not. She'd soon found that they weren't, since she heard neither Maleficent's yells nor Mal's grumbles from the bedrooms. And though the two evil fairies being gone unsettled Cassie, she'd been much too tired to even give it a second thought. The little cat had simply climbed back up into her hideaway and curled up in a ball on the assortment of blankets she'd dragged up there when she first 'moved in', falling asleep within seconds.

Much to Cassie's surprise, she found it to be four o'clock in the afternoon when she finally woke up. She hardly ever slept that long, but she'd had to remind herself that her late night 'walk' had been more difficult than usual, and it had left her utterly overwhelmed. Luckily for her, though, she was her own boss, so to speak. She did what she wanted, when she wanted. She had no friends or family to go and see during the day or night. She was _free._ She only had to look out for herself and that was how she liked it.

That's what she told herself, anyway. Having no one to rely on was rather relieving in its own way. After all, it made keeping herself safe that much easier. But with her freedom came loneliness. Every once in a while it would hit her, filling her chest with an awful heartache. It usually came when she was about to fall asleep on her 'bed', her thoughts often straying down a darker path when she was trying so hard to relax. The memories of her father were still fresh in her mind, long nights of him telling her all about his antics and trouble-making in Wonderland keeping her younger-self utterly captivated. He'd told her about the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and he'd even told her about a young blonde girl who'd made the mistake of falling down a rabbit hole. Whatever she'd asked of him he'd done it. Whether it'd been telling her another story about Wonderland, or explaining the magic he could do outside of the barrier, and even going as far as to take her on trips around the Isle. Nothing had been off limits.

Cassie still remembered the day it all changed. She recounted how scared she'd been, but also how excited she'd felt at the idea of having something in common with her only living relative. But _he_ hadn't been happy. The look he'd given her that day would forever be burned into her mind, his reluctance to even look at her or speak still hurt her in ways nothing else could. It didn't matter to her that she knew full well why he'd been that way. It was only natural for him to pray every night that his daughter wouldn't somehow inherit the curse placed upon him before he was chucked into the Isle. But by a stroke of misfortune Cassie had inherited it, and for whatever reason, her father hadn't been in the right frame of mind to deal with it responsibly.

He'd left that night. He'd waited patiently for her to fall asleep: Tears staining her cheeks and sniffles filling the silence. He'd told her that he loved her, that he was sorry, and that she had to stay safe.

 _'Asshole,'_ she thought nastily.

Cassie adored her father even now, but the pain she'd felt that day when she realised he'd left her would always taint her heart. No one else could ever say a bad word about her dad, but she had every damn right to. He should have stayed and taught her how to live with their curse, how to adjust to the painful transformation that took hold every sunset and sunrise. But he hadn't. He'd taken the cowards way out and left her to deal with it on her own.

The little cat tread carefully through the pirate market place, sensing some familiarity as she made her way through the streets. Unlike last night, it was filled to the brim with pirates, selling different items from their stalls, yelling out exactly what it was they were attempting to sell, but some were just passing through. Either way, she knew she had to be careful. Pirates weren't too kind to people and she dreaded to think what would happen if they saw a cat roaming around.

As she moved through the colourful and bustling streets, Cassie soon found that - much to her distress - a lot of the alleys looked the same. She hadn't exactly been thinking straight when she was running from Harry that morning, and her concentration had truly been out of sorts. All she'd been worried about then was escaping with her life, and it had all been such a blur. She couldn't fully remember which direction she took, and she'd been much too tired that morning to even focus on the twists and turns that took her back home. So, she was rather pleased with herself for leaving the Witch School earlier than usual and giving herself more time to find her belongings. She just prayed that she found them before the sun went down, otherwise she'd be wandering about the pirate's territory in all her glory, and that was _not_ a moment she wanted to experience.

"Ooh, a cat!"

Cassie didn't have any time at all to realise the delighted and surprised male voice was aimed in her direction. In a small moment she felt the ground beneath her paws disappear, and her small furry body pressed uncomfortably tight against a hard surface.

When in her feline form, Cassie stuck to the same safe-routes she would take if she was human, and her social issues with other people also stayed with her. Being picked up by someone wasn't a desired move of affection she attempted to seek out. People on the Isle were much bigger, stronger, and prone to violence. And being held by one of them scared her more than anything. Even the witches that attended the Witch School didn't pick her up. They doted on her like they did with the rest of the very few cats on the Isle, since any feline seemed to be closely associated with the presence of witches, and thus were treated rather well by the witches themselves. They gave her water, fed her scraps of their own food if they had any, and happily gave her as many ear-scratches and soft strokes as she wished. But they _never_ picked her up. If she wanted their attention, she'd meow like all the other cats, or rub herself against their legs. Otherwise, they let her be. So for Cassie to now be in the arms of someone she didn't know, and a pirate no less... well, it wasn't something she was completely comfortable with.

Cassie struggled in the unknown man's arms, twisting and bending her body until her unsheathed claws latched firmly into the hard leather of the vest he wore. She lifted her small head up and stared at his face, almost immediately recognizing him as one member of the group she'd followed the night before.

 _'Oh no,'_ she thought with dread. The pirate she'd stolen from must have spread the word about her, told his crew what had happened and that they had to find her. It was the only reason this pirate in particular would have even picked her up. He was taking her back to _him._

"You're cute," the pirate cooed down at her, and Cassie fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Can I keep you?"

Many times Cassie had wished for the ability to turn back into a human during the day. Being forced to live her nights as a human and her days as a cat was draining, but she found herself able to move a little easier through the Isle in her feline form. After all, no one paid any close attention to a small and black furry cat meandering through the street, and she heard and saw a lot more than she would have had she been her normal self. But now, with the strange pirate speaking to her like she was a baby, she really longed to use her voice to tell him to back off and leave her alone. She belonged to herself, and she had no desire to be taken in by anyone.

The pirate startled her when he slowly reached his hand behind her back, his fingers lightly scratching the space between her neck and shoulder. He wasn't trying to hurt her, and he wasn't even attempting to walk back to the pirate ship. He was _petting_ her. For whatever reason, this pirate held no ill intentions toward her. He just wanted to give her affection.

The last time Cassie had been picked up hadn't been a great experience. She'd been no older than fourteen, still adjusting to life without her dad even a year after he'd left. It had been a rather slow morning and she'd been starving, which was how she'd found herself sneaking in through the door to the Slop Shop: One of the handful of places that actually sold decent food on the Isle. But she hadn't even began to search for something edible when a rough and large hand grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. The disgusting goblin had growled loudly in her face and tossed her out the door and back onto the street, and she hadn't ever gone back since.

Cassie wasn't big on human touch; Despite her odd craving for it whenever she felt rather lonely. The last person to touch her without harmful thoughts was her father, who used to gently stroke her hair away from her face to help her sleep, or cuddle up with her in his cat form during the day. And even though the witches gave her a few pets here and there, she mostly shied away from their touch unless she couldn't help it. So, for the second time that day, Cassie found herself utter stumped. First, the pirate with a fondness for the colour red actually asked why she took things. And now another pirate was willingly stroking his fingers through her fur because he _wanted_ to.

The pirates really were a finicky bunch.

Despite her difficulties in handling the touch of another person, Cassie couldn't find it in her small and trampled heart to scratch this pirate. She let him do as he wished for the time being, the small notion that he could anger easily and her fighting against him might make him mad keeping the little cat firmly rooted in place. Instead, she took this time to become more familiar with his face, her wide and yellow eyes scrutinizing his features. He was completely relaxed with her, his brown eyes looking down into her own with a softness she hadn't ever seen in another. His blonde hair was messily hanging out from underneath the tight cap he wore on his head and - in true Cassie fashion - she soon took note of the pendant around his neck. It didn't appeal to her in any way, since the chain was made of thick string and the bull-head a dark bronze. It wasn't worth anything to her, and she didn't want to take it. Not that she would have anyway. He was nice to her, and despite her many, many faults, Cassie couldn't ever take something from someone who treated her kindly. No matter who they were.

"I won't keep you, Uma probably wouldn't let me," he mumbled, his voice only audible to himself and her.

Cassie, having sensed the small glitch of sadness in his tone, gently nudged her forehead against his chin. The chuckle he gave in response to her ticklish movement let her know she'd succeeded in cheering him up, and she was rather pleased with herself when she pulled back and found a small smile on his face.

"I'm Gil," he told her, his hand leaving her ear to stroke her back.

 _'Gil.'_ She repeated his name in her head until it stuck. She wouldn't see him again after this... not if she had her way, but she'd always remember him. She _always_ remembered the nice ones.

"Gil!"

Cassie flinched at the unfamiliar and loud voice, and when her new 'friend' looked over his shoulder at the person calling his name, she also took a quick peek.

"What the hell are you doing?! Harry's gonna hook us if we don't find this 'Cassie' girl!"

The unknown pirate's words had the little cat reeling, and with much reluctance she used every ounce of her cat-strength to push against Gil with her four legs. He hadn't been holding her tight, and thanks to the newcomer he'd been somewhat distracted and unable to catch her before she landed. All Cassie could think to do was sprint away from the nice man and into a nearby alley, a faint cry of 'hey' all she heard as she darted away from him.

~...~...~

Harry sauntered into the Chip Shoppe and followed the same routine he did every night, dumping his sword in the box and heading toward the long table near the T.V., shoving any random bystander out of his path as he went. He switched on the T.V. and took his place behind the table, sitting atop one of the stools as he waited patiently for his Captain to make an appearance.

After his talk with Uma that morning, he'd felt somewhat relieved. His Captain giving him the 'okay' to go and find Cassie and do what he 'had to do' settled his conscience greatly, and she'd sent him home with the casual reassurance that she'd 'take care of it'. Truthfully, he'd been rather eager to go straight back out into the Isle streets and find the little nuisance of a cat, but the constant and pestering itch around his eyes was an irritating reminder that he'd been up all night and - without sleep - he'd come back empty handed if he went looking for her right away.

The first mate removed his hat and placed it onto the surface beside him, turning to rest his arms on the table and watch the woman on the T.V.. He didn't pay close attention to the Auradonian's words, her over-excited and fast voice going on and on about the Rotten Four choosing good flew straight over his head. The only thing on his mind was how out of place his room on the ship looked without the pocket-watch on the wall. The main reason he even left it there was because of how pleasing it was to greedy eyes. He was scary enough and he knew that, but if he walked around with his father's shiny pocket watch around his neck then he'd be a rather big target, and he just couldn't risk it.

 _'Not like it helped much,'_ he thought bitterly to himself. He recounted how the slippery little cat had managed to take away his precious object, not realising that she'd also taken a little of his pride with her.

Harry had fought a few on the Isle, some bigger than him and some smaller, but he always got the upper hand in the end. So, for someone as small and meek as Cassie to get away with something of great importance to him... well, it didn't sit well with him. He'd been stolen from _and_ humiliated all in the span of one hour, and he couldn't just let it slide. He had to find her and make his point, show the entire Isle that no one messed with the son of Hook.

"Evil thoughts again?"

Harry turned in his chair and tilted his head at Uma, not realising that the thought of hurting Cassie had brought a rather pleasing smile to his face. "Ya know me so well," he chuckled, digging into the meal his Captain had brought to him.

"I had the crew out on the street today," she informed him. "Told 'em to find out everything they could about our little 'thief'."

"Oh yeah? Ya find anythin'?" he asked curiously, chewing away on a cooked piece of fish.

"Not much," she admitted with a small frown of disappointment. "She don't run with any gang. But a few spoke up, said someone came through and took something expensive of theirs. No one's seen her face, though, so we can't know for sure if it was her."

"Special things," the first mate muttered with a shrug. When Uma's brows raised with confusion, he decided to elaborate further. "That's what she likes to call 'em, 'special things'. She likes the shiny ones, expensive lookin' ones."

The Captain pursed her lips. "And when did you find this out?"

"I talked ta 'er."

"Before or after she stole from you?"

" _Before_ ," he said pointedly, rolling his eyes. "I didn' know 'er an' she 'asn't been 'round 'ere before. I reckon she lives in the middle o' town, she followed us from Jafar's place."

"And you didn't think to tell me this earlier?!" the Captain exclaimed with outrage.

"Ya didn' ask," retorted Harry, earning himself a death-glare from his Captain.

"Anyway," she sighed, rubbing her temples in soothing and circular motions. "What does she do with the stuff she takes? Sell it?"

"Nah, she keeps 'em. I don' know why, I don' _get_ why. But she does."

"That's..." Uma paused and rolled her eyes in thought. "Weird," she eventually muttered. She shook her head and stared at Harry, digging her tongue into the inside of her cheek as another thought floated through her mind. "Why didn't you just bring her to me when you found her?"

Harry looked down at his food, a mischievous grin tugging at the edges of his lips, the familiar look on his face giving Uma all the answers she needed.

"Okay, Harry, listen to me," she said seriously, her arms folded on the table as she leaned in to look at him directly. "You find someone stealing, you bring them to me right away. You _don't_ flirt with them, get what you want, and _then_ bring them to me."

"But it's so much fun," he said childishly, a mocking pout on his lips.

The teal-haired Captain grimaced and pointed a finger his way. "You're sick."

"Aye, but ya love it," he laughed, tossing his best friend a cheeky wink before concentrating on his food.

Uma scoffed in response, but couldn't withhold the amused smirk twitching at the corners of her mouth. She still recounted their time as children, when Harry had been a thin and rather malnourished boy, his clothes way too big to fit and his tricorn hat constantly falling down to hide his eyes. Back then he hadn't been the heartbreaker he was now, he hadn't even attempted it. But over the years she'd watched his confidence grow, his ego getting bigger and bigger when he realised just what carrying the Hook name could mean for him. And when Uma finally started to gather her pirate crew together, he'd been the most obvious choice for a teacher. He'd taught her and Gil without any problems, and he was the only one she trusted with the job. But sword-fighting nearly every day had certainly done wonders for his strength and body alike, and he eventually filled out the clothes that used to hide him completely.

Truthfully, Uma felt partly responsible for turning him into the over-confident man he was now. She'd been his first friend, and she'd also been the one to help him slowly detach from the father he'd always looked up to. She'd given him some kind of freedom when they were young, the both of them learning how to steal, fight and spread fear on their side of the Isle together. And before long they were together almost every minute of every day, huddling together at Serpent Prep and spending countless nights in the Chip Shoppe when she was working. He only ever went back home when her mom called her, and made sure to show up early the next morning. And, after Uma had met his dad, she'd been rather confident that Harry made the wiser choice with her than sticking around with him.

Captain James Hook was - in every sense of the word - terrifying. He must have been a rather strong figure once, back before the originals had been tossed onto the Isle, but seeing how he was now made Uma question how anyone could have followed with him as Captain. Like every other original villain on the Isle, he'd gone insane, the screws in his head loosening after twenty years on the island prison. His rather impressive ship, the Jolly Roger, still sat on the waves surrounding the Isle, the poor object wasting away on the side-lines as its Captain went insane. But nowadays the Captain chose to spend most of his time drinking himself to sleep in his quarters, muttering away about 'Pan' and yelling for the clocks to stop. His balding first mate, Smee, still doted on his Captain, often bringing him food and water to help him survive, and sticking around on the ship to make sure everything was 'up to the Captains standards'. For whatever reason, the first mate still wanted to be around Captain Hook when the rest of the crew scattered, and Uma would never fully understand his devotion. After all, even Hook's children had abandoned him. Harriett had her own crew now on the other side of the Isle, Harry had dedicated himself to Uma, and C.J. was running around somewhere with her own group. In the end, the Hook children had long since figured out that their dad was not the best at parenting, and had left him to his devices to find their own lives. Although, Uma held a great suspicion the Captain wouldn't care either way.

Every now and then Uma saw some of Captain Hook in Harry. They held the same features: Both having dark brown locks, though Hook's was a lot longer and curlier, and both having the same piercing blue eyes. And even though Uma had declared her first mate 'sane' enough to be trusted, he often had small turns that made her question the fact.

Harry was clever, that much she knew with certainty, and he could be patient in his own way. He was loyal, honest, and he did have a little soft spot in him, despite his furious attempts to hide it from her. He held some redeeming qualities and Uma loved that about him.

The bad parts, though, kind of scared her. His temper was great and unyielding, and sometimes it only took the littlest things to set him off. And despite his patience in certain aspects he was somehow wildly impulsive, often striking out and starting fights simply for the fun of it all. He'd always had a bit of a sadistic side to him, some kind of dark urge to scare and maim others. But what really terrified the Captain was when someone directly pissed him off. That moment, when his ever-present grin of mischief and nonchalant façade melted away, replaced with a dark glare and tense form, his normally bright eyes darkening to a basic black. No one on their side of the Isle messed with him anymore and there was a very, very good reason for it. And in some way, Uma felt enormous sympathy for the Cheshire Cat's daughter, just knowing what might happen when Harry eventually found her. Whatever he had planned would be messy and done to prove a point, and it was something the little cat wouldn't survive.

Uma took a deep breath and pushed the rather unsettling thoughts from her mind, turning away from her first mate in an effort to get back to her normal duties. While in the midst of doing so, however, she managed to catch the rest of her crew attempting to sneak into the Shoppe.

"Hey!" she yelled.

The moment her voice bellowed in their direction, her crew jumped and scattered about the room, muttering half hearted and rather inaudible excuses as they parted. Eventually, the only person left was Gil, who stood utterly dumbfounded in the entrance to the Shoppe.

"Gil, c'mere," the Captain demanded, calming her tone and beckoning him with a quick wag of her finger.

The son of Gaston did as asked, and lightly jogged toward her. "Yup?" he said in greeting.

"What's going on with them?" she inquired, sharply nodding toward the rest of the crew. They'd all separated from each other and occupied difference spaces in the room, but she caught their wide-eyed glances of anticipation bouncing between Gil, herself, and Harry. They were nervous, and she was going to find out why.

"Oh, uh, they're scared," the blonde-haired pirate responded.

"Of..."

"Harry."

At the mention of his name, the first mate looked up, shoving his tray of food aside to instead join in on the conversation.

"Why would they be scared of Harry?" the Captain asked curiously. It was a rather stupid question, though. Of course they were scared of Harry; Everyone was. But her crew seemed jumpier than usual, and she could practically feel the waves of anxiety flowing through the air.

Despite his inability to read a situation at the best of times, Gil managed to read this one loud and clear. He gulped and took a large step backwards, his eyes darting from Uma's concerned and patiently awaiting expression, to Harry's apparent nonchalance and indifference on the matter at hand. He liked to think they wouldn't hurt him, but he knew of Harry's temper just as everyone else did, and he really didn't want to be in the line of fire this time.

"Well you see...the thing is...I mean," he stuttered to explain himself, his left hand reaching behind his head to nervously scratch at the cap keeping his shoulder-length hair in place.

"Spit it out lad," the first mate demanded suddenly, pounding his hand against the wooden table between them. "We 'aven't got all bloody day!"

"We couldn't find the girl," blurted Gil, his widened eyes focussed entirely on the first mate.

"So, what ya're tellin' me is-" Harry spoke low, his voice dangerously calm as the fingers of his right hand slowly smoothed over his hook, "-the five o' ya 'ave been searchin' for the little kitty all day, an' ya didn' find anythin'?"

As if they sensed the danger in the room, which was rather high in probability, the remaining customers left their trays and drinks on the tables, each one carefully making their way out of the Chip Shoppe. The rest of the crew were highly tempted to follow, but to avoid a tongue-lashing from their Captain they stayed put.

Gil gave a nervous chuckle, taking yet another step back as Harry leaned his upper body against the table. The son of Gaston opened his mouth as he tried hard to come up with a formidable reply, only to hear another voice speak up instead.

"We would'a found her sooner, but Gil was busy playing with a little kitten!" It was Gonzo who threw Gil under the ship, so to speak. And the second mate fought to avoid glaring at him over his shoulder.

"Hey!" he yelled with indignation.

"What?! It's true?!"

"Shut up!" shouted Uma, interrupting the pathetic argument brewing between her crew mates. She gave them no thought and turned to her first mate. "What is it?"

The moment Gonzo had - rather carelessly - thrown Gil into deep shit, Harry had been staring into the air in deep thought.

"We don' get cats 'round 'ere," he pointed out, finally moving his head to meet his Captain's gaze.

"No, we don't," she agreed, her mind coming to the same conclusion Harry had only seconds before. "You think it's her?"

The first mate gave a small shrug. "I don't know, might be." His brows furrowed as he thought harder, and he glanced back at Gil. "Where did ya see it?"

"The market," the other teen explained. "By the maze."

The maze was the pirate's own term for the other paths, aside from the main and much more frequently used, people took to get into the middle of the Island. They were made up of nearly fifteen narrow and twisting alleyways, full of junk and boxes and other miscellaneous items. In the day, the maze was hard enough to get through. Only the pirates who'd lived on this side of the Isle their whole lives had safely determined a way to easily get through. But in the dark it was a nightmare. Every turn looked the same and if you weren't careful you'd get caught in a dead end.

It was the same place Harry had lost Cassie that morning.

"That sneaky little bitch," the first mate chuckled to himself.

"What?" asked Uma.

"I lost 'er in there this mornin'. I reckon she has a few tricks up 'er sleeve, if ya know what I mean. What if she can bounce between kitty an' girl? Would explain 'ow I lost 'er."

The Captain nodded. "I guess so. But there's no magic here. How could she even turn into a cat without it?" If Harry was right, which she partly hoped he wasn't since he wouldn't let her live it down otherwise, then Cassie was somehow able to transform from cat to human whenever she wanted to. It meant the little cat somehow had magic in her blood. A trait no other Islander had the good fortune of having.

"How do ya explain what happens ta ya in water then, Uma?" he retorted, eyeing her legs for a small moment.

"Hey," she hissed, gripping the front of his ripped shirt in her small fist. "Keep it down, okay?" What she could do was a secret, and it was something she'd shown him when they were a lot younger in a moment of rare vulnerability. It _wasn't_ a cheap shot for him to use against her when he wanted to get his point across.

Harry rolled his eyes and gently grasped her wrist, prying her fingers away from his shirt. "I'm not takin' tha mick, Uma. I'm just sayin'. If _you_ can do that in the water, what makes ya think no one else can do it too?"

The sea witch's daughter huffed. "I know what you're saying, I do. But Harry this could just be some lost cat. What do you expect me to do? Keep it locked in a box on the random chance it might be your thief?"

"Have some faith in me, Cap'," he told her, pulling on his hat. "I know it's 'er." His confidence in his decision was rather arrogant, and Uma knew that if he was wrong he'd be sitting around in a sulk for the rest of the night. But she'd already given him the 'okay' to do what he had to do, and letting him run around looking for a little cat fell into that particular situation.

"Okay," she finally relented, backing away from him with her hands raised. "Do what you gotta do. But _don't_ take it out on the rest of us when you come back with nothing."

"Ya're so good at raisin' my spirits, Uma, ya really are," said Harry, sarcasm filling his voice as he walked backwards towards the exit. "Lads," he called, drawing the attention of the male crew-mates. "Ya're comin' with me. We've got a kitty to find."

~...~...~

Cassie groaned and mumbled incoherently, her dark eyes slowly blinking into focus as she attempted to move her aching limbs. She gave a gentle cry as she brought her knees to her bare chest, the small stones beneath her body scraping against her soft and sweaty skin. She could hear the ocean waves clear in her ears, and the gentle, cold breeze in the air helped lower her body temperature. But she knew she couldn't bathe in the relaxation of it too long. She had to get her clothes on and grab the pocket watch, and she had to do it quickly.

The small girl still didn't know why - even four years later - the transformation of turning from cat to human tortured her so much. It wasn't the same as it was when she turned from human to cat. She'd just come to the assumption that cats were simply more agile and quick to right the damage done to their bodies, and their heightened senses helped them jump to alert much quicker. But when she turned human again her vision was largely distorted, her eyes seeing double of everything as an overwhelming pounding radiated through her head. Her skin felt tight and uncomfortable, her bones aching as though she'd been brutally attacked only seconds before. Either way, it absolutely drained her every single time, and it was the biggest reason she made sure she was back home before the 'curse' took place.

Cassie rolled over onto her stomach, ignoring the small stings in her body as the stones cut into her skin, and squinted to see the small crate she'd spent so long searching for. She knew it was the right alley. She'd made sure to check behind every box, crate, and bucket to find her clothes and 'special thing', and only when she was certain she was in the right place had she stayed put and waited for the sun to go down.

The little cat grunted and pushed herself up into a seated position, her arms buckling as she used a small fraction of the strength she had left to right herself. She knew full well her legs wouldn't be of any use for a good few minutes, so instead she dragged her lower body across the cold ground, painfully stretching out her arm to grip the small pile of clothes in her shaky hand.

It took a little longer than she was happy with to get herself dressed. Since she couldn't fully use her legs and feet, she had to shuffle her thin dress over her rear and down her thighs, her bottom lip clenched firmly between her teeth as she made every attempt to keep from crying out again. Thankfully, pulling on her shoes wasn't too hard a task: All she had to do was slide her feet into the black flats and tie up the laces. When she reached out again to grab her 'special thing', she found herself hesitating for maybe the first time in her entire life.

Cassie knew she wasn't a thief, but what she did know was that there truly was something wrong with her. Curse aside, her obsession with the beautiful objects she found on the Isle was the one thing that really terrified her. It'd been there for as long as she could remember, and when she'd been younger her father had laughed it off as 'childlike curiosity'. But after he'd left her alone and she'd had to fend for herself, it'd somehow gotten worse. As a young girl she'd only taken something once a month, usually coins of gold and silver that one of the Isle residents had accidentally dropped. But nowadays it was a lingering thought in her mind, and her fingers always twitched when she felt that familiar urge swell up inside of her brain until she could think of nothing else. Eventually, coins turned into fancy plates, and then necklaces and bracelets... even a tiara here and there. And what was worse was that she hadn't even found her 'special things' on the ground lying about. Half the time she luckily managed to snatch them away from whoever wore them at the time, and a part of her knew that never getting caught had only helped fuel her odd habits.

Until now. She'd barely gotten away with her life that morning. The only reason she really had managed to escape was because of the curse. But if it didn't exist then she'd surely be dead by now, most likely tossed into the ocean around the Isle and left to drown. She'd never considered her obsession to be a life threatening one until she'd taken from the red pirate, and she was starting to see just how dangerous her night time 'walks' really could be.

Cassie sighed and tugged the golden chain over her head and 'ears', flicking her hair out from underneath the chain to hang down her back. This pocket watch had nearly killed her, but she wasn't about to give it up now when she'd come so far for it.

 _'Go hard or go home,'_ she thought with a small huff.

With her clothes on, and the 'special thing' around her neck, Cassie finally decided it was the right time to start using her legs. She inhaled a deep and soothing breath, pressing her hands against the ground and her back against the wall behind her. She brought her knees to her chest and kept her feet flat, the air passing through her nostrils as she kept her lips shut tight. It was like learning to walk again, but with added stress and pain.

"Okay Cass'," she mumbled to herself reassuringly, her legs slightly bent at the knees as she used the majority of her strength to keep her upper half against the wall. "You can do this."

Getting back home wouldn't be an easy task, and she knew it. She'd only just managed to find her beloved things with the help of her feline senses, but in her human form it would - most likely - take her a good while to find the middle of the Isle again. It also didn't help her that her legs were still coming back to life, each small step she took diminishing the irritating 'pins-and-needles' in her feet. If she really did get out of this 'maze' without running into any pirates and any trouble, then she really would consider herself 'lucky'.

Cassie was only a few steps down the stretched and foggy alleyway when she heard them. _Footsteps._ More than two, and at a fast-walking pace. And if they were loud enough for her to hear them clearly and through her hazy state, then they were close; Too close.

"Here kitty, kitty."

At the sound of the taunting and familiar dark voice, Cassie stood to alert, her breath catching in her throat. It wasn't just a group of scary pirates taking a late night stroll through the alleys, it was _him._ He'd come back for her, and if she stayed put he was definitely going to find her.

 _'Run.'_

As if the voice in her head somehow controlled her movements, Cassie turned on her heels and sprinted down the alley. Her mousy-brown hair fluttered erratically behind her as she dashed down the narrow alleyways and around sharp turns, her heart pounding in her chest at a rapid pace. She could still feel her body protesting furiously with each movement she made, the after-effects of her curse a painful reminder that she shouldn't put too much stress or force on her small frame. But she had to ignore them this time. She _had_ to somehow block out the soreness and discomfort and keep running until she felt safe enough to stop.

Cassie was light on her feet, but the gravel beneath her shoes did her no favours. The pirates chasing her heard her movements, and when they did they sped up their own. If they hadn't known for sure if she was here before then they certainly knew now, and that fearful thought made her push herself harder when she really shouldn't have.

When her legs started to ache unbearably, and black spots darted in her vision, Cassie felt herself falling. She managed to slow herself down before she collided with another wall, but unlike the times before, where she'd been able to right herself and keep moving, she fell backwards, barely able to twist and land on her hands to keep her head from smashing against the ground.

The small girl sobbed in frustration, tears of anger and absolute dread flowing freely down her cheeks. She could barely see anymore, her previously muddled vision now murky and slowly darkening to nothing. She tried to push her hands against the ground and get to her knees, only for a cry of agony to fly through her parted lips as her palms stung and her arms buckled, and the only thing left for her to do was lay there.

The adrenaline rush that'd kept her going started to fade, leaving her a freezing and trembling mess on the floor. Her body still hurt, but with the small rest her eyesight made a reappearance. Not that it mattered now. They'd already found her.

"Is this her?"

"Aye, this is tha one."

Cassie heard their footsteps, and now she was hearing their voices, but she still couldn't see them.

"W-what are you going to do?" The person who spoke then sounded rather familiar, and it startled her slightly when she noticed the slight worry in his voice.

"Get up."

Immediately, Cassie knew the demand was aimed in her direction, and though she longed to get back on her feet and run again, she knew when to admit defeat. She wouldn't be able to outrun them now. After all, there seemed to be many of them and only one of her. Even if she tried they'd catch her before she got a chance. All she could really do now was listen and do what they asked. Whether she liked it or not.

"I-I can't," she whispered. It wasn't a lie, either. She did want to get up, but she'd put too much strain on her body tonight and it had seriously taken its toll. She wouldn't be able to move for twenty minutes at the most.

Cassie gasped in protest as a hard boot nudged against her stomach, and with the little energy she had she rolled over onto her back.

There he was, the red pirate she'd dreaded running into all damn night. He placed a small lantern beside her, giving her a much better view of him as he towered over her, his legs moving on either side of her body.

"Hello Cassie," he drawled, a chuckle of amusement escaping him as he squatted down near the middle of her stomach. His eyes carelessly roamed over her upper and lower body, sussing out the full damage done before his gaze met her own. "I've been lookin' for ya."

Cassie avoided his eyes completely and instead stared at his chest. "No shit," she muttered.

The pirate laughed at her reply, and Cassie shuddered, her discomfort heightening with his near proximity. She planted her elbows on the ground and arched her back in a pathetic attempt to sit up, but when a sharp ache shot up and down her spine she stopped, a small growl of distress quickly turning into a whimper of suffering when she realised she really couldn't do anything.

"I know, I know," the pirate cooed with false sympathy and understanding, his right hand coming forward to brush away the long strands of hair that stuck to her sweaty forehead. "I know it hurts, love." If he hadn't been grinning down at her with that dangerous glint in his eyes, Cassie would have almost believed his soothing words were true. But she knew better, and she knew he was enjoying her current state. Probably more than anyone really should.

"If it helps ya got real close," he continued with a small shrug. "A few more turns an' ya would've gotten ta the main street. Ya did well, love, ya really did."

Cassie grimaced and turned her head to the side, a small tear falling from the corner of her eye. It wasn't bad enough that he'd already caught her, or that he was pretty much sitting on top of her when she was in so much pain already. He wanted to make this as horrible for her as he could, and he'd keep twisting that knife until he was bored.

"Nu-uh," he objected, gently turning her head back to face him. "I wanna see ya suffer, darlin'."

Cassie didn't have much strength left: In truth, she thought she really had none. So it surprised both her and the pirate when she raised her right hand and - with whatever she did have - brought her long nails across to scratch his cheek.

"Fuck you," she spat, a small and breathless giggle passing through her lips as he reared back from the impact.

The pirate didn't stay still too long. As soon as he brought himself back from the sudden and unexpected attack she'd given him, he gripped the back of her neck and whisked her back off of the floor, a cry of pain leaving her mouth as her front came against his in a hard collision.

"So, the little kitty does 'ave claws," he snapped, his hand moving from the back of her neck to grip her throat. He didn't squeeze her hard enough to cut off her oxygen completely, but his tight grasp wasn't entirely comfortable either.

Cassie stayed silent, her small hands flailing for a moment until they firmly held onto the red jacket she'd always seen him wear. He was too close. The tip of his nose occasionally touched her own, his laboured breaths mixing with hers until they were pretty much inhaling a part of the other. She knew it was a kind of intimidation tactic used to throw off the opponent, and if that was his aim then he was truly winning... not that he hadn't been before. She wasn't used to being this close to someone, not even in a fight, and it rendered her completely speechless and unwilling to move. His scent was overbearing, the nose-wrinkling odour of sweat mingling with the salty air of the ocean. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, and she really couldn't speak.

Only when a sharp and cold sting started underneath her chin did Cassie say anything, her rational thought floating back into her muddled mind as she realised he had his hook to her throat.

"You were going to kill me no matter what," she spoke, her lips barely brushing his own as she moved her mouth. "I thought I'd leave you with more than just a wounded ego." Her dark eyes moved, albeit with much struggle, toward his cheek, where she saw four deep scratches.

 _'That'll mark him for a while,'_ she thought, a small smirk of delight breaking through her frown.

"Oh, little kitty," he tutted, his own grin of pleasure putting hers to utter shame. "Ya thought I was gonna kill ya?" He gave a quieted chuckle that had the hairs on the back of Cassie's neck raising, and a small shiver of worry struck her small frame.

Cassie struggled pitifully against him as he somehow came even closer, his cheek nuzzling against her own as his lips moved across her skin and toward her ear.

"I'm not gonna kill ya, Cassie," he whispered, a small hum coming from his throat and buzzing through her head. "I'm gonna fuckin' ruin ya."

* * *

AN;

Hello readers! Just me...again. I know this chapter was pretty dark but you were warned. This story isn't all sunshine and rainbows. There will be some happy moments and romance but it won't be until later chapters, so for the time being things will get pretty tense. Maybe not to the same extent as this chapter, but you never know.

Anyway, time to acknowledge my wonderful reviewers!

StrawberryNeko7; Here is the chapter and I hope you like it! And no, Cassie doesn't have a choice in the curse and I'm glad you like that fact. And her curse will be explained in the next chapter, so I hope you'll stick around to read that. :)

Lola Vegas; :D :D

Sasha2702; I'm so happy you liked the chapter! And I love that you enjoy my writing, I think it's quite dark when compared to quite a few Descendants stories, so it means a lot that you like it. And unfortunately Harry won't be wrecking the Isle looking for Cassie, but he is a bit of a psycho in my fics so who knows what I'll have planned for later chapters.

DragonessK89; Here is the chapter, and I'm glad you like the story. :)

Guest; I shall. Thank you for the review.

anoceaninthesun; I'll be honest I was a bit on the fence about the Cheshire Cat's daughter being an OC for this story, since it was quite obvious he was more of a neutral character. But he also seemed like a bit of a trouble-maker (at least to me) so in my mind he may have done a few naughty things to wind up on the Isle. And I do agree with your thoughts on Auradon, if you're not good-good then you're not one of them. Especially since a lot of side-kicks of major villains ended up on the Isle be mere association. And honestly I'm scared for Cassie too. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Deansgirl9742; I'm so glad you like the story! And I hope you like this chapter.

Anyway, that's all from me. Big, big thank you to everyone who've reviewed, favourited and followed this story. It means so much to me that you're enjoying it so far.

Please leave a Review or PM to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks!

Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through.


	4. Just a Taste

Warnings;

. Swearing (Again.)  
. Is interrogation a warning? I don't know. But it's in here.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The first thing Cassie felt was an immense and constant throb that radiated through her head. The sudden and overwhelming pain made it hard for her to think and fully comprehend just where the pirate had taken her. She blinked furiously as her hazy vision slowly came back into focus, her dark eyes squinting up at the dark and dirty ceiling. Wherever she was, it wasn't a place she was familiar with, that much she knew.

The small girl winced and bit down on her bottom lip, her bones cracking and aching as she attempted to sit up. She inhaled a deep breath and grimaced, an unwelcome scent of fish and salt flowing in through her nostrils.

 _'Damn it,'_ she thought, her right hand moving to press lightly against her forehead. She was still in pirate territory, but if that was the case then where the hell were the pirates?

Cassie gasped as she gently probed at her head, her fingers soon making contact with a rather sore area on the left side of her face. She couldn't remember much before waking up in this odd place, only bits and pieces. One moment she was unnervingly close to the red pirate and the next... well, nothing. She didn't remember him dragging her back to the ship, or wherever he came from, and despite how frail and fatigued she'd been when they caught her she surely would have been able to recount the pirates bringing her to this strange room.

"Motherfucker!" she yelped in sudden realisation. The pain in her head, plus her inability to remember exactly how she got to the room she was currently sat in, gave her the answer loud and clear.

He'd knocked her out. Whether it was to keep her quiet and somewhat submissive enough for them to get her back to their place, or just for the sake of mere amusement and retaliation for the scratches she gave him, Cassie wasn't sure. Either way, she felt like she'd run straight into a wall, head first, and now she was sitting in some shitty little dark room.

Cassie grunted and reached out her hand, feeling for some kind of unmovable surface in the darkness she was currently engulfed in. When she found it, she used it to help herself get up and onto her feet.

The moment the small girl managed to stand straight, however, her sight became fuzzy once again. Her knees buckled for a second and she struggled to keep herself from falling to the floor, her upper body pushed firmly against the wall behind her as she tried to stand once more.

"I'm gonna kill him," she muttered to herself, keeping one hand against the side of her head as she stumbled her way forward, her feet a little less than enthusiastic about following her demands.

"Good luck with that."

Cassie jumped and yelped at the unfamiliar and female voice. She took a quick step back and turned her head to the direction it had come from, only for a groan to pass through her lips as her head greatly protested the rapid movement.

"Damn," she hissed, clenching her eyes shut for a small second before she even attempted to look again. She tilted her head to the side and saw a rather short figure stood in the doorway, barely illuminated by the lanterns in the hallway behind them.

"Who the fuck are you?" demanded Cassie, slowly taking a few steps forward.

The unknown girl didn't reply, and when Cassie saw her turn to leave she almost spoke up. _Almost._

The little cat inwardly scolded herself for being so rude to the nosy girl, but it wasn't all her fault. After all, she had just woken up from being knocked out by a psychotic pirate, it was only reasonable for her to be a little snappy with whoever decided to speak to her. But she was also alone in dangerous territory, and despite her fondness for staying away from other humans she also yearned to know what the hell was going on. The red pirate hadn't killed her and she deserved to know why.

It came as quite a surprise to Cassie when - instead of leaving as the little cat originally thought - the pirate girl instead took hold of one of the lanterns from the hallway, and then turned to come further into the room.

As the girl moved, and brought the light with her, Cassie was finally able to see a little more of where she was. But when her mind fully came to an accurate conclusion on where the red pirate had taken her, she was _not_ happy.

"He put me in a fucking cage?!" she yelled, quickly rushing forward to grip two thick, steel bars with her small hands. Her face flushed with absolute outrage, her dark eyes glaring hard at the calm girl on the other side.

"A cell, actually," the girl corrected Cassie with a small chuckle, leaning back against another set of bars.

Cassie frowned and rolled her eyes, taking this moment to fully scrutinize the pirate girl in front of her. Truthfully, she didn't seem like much of a threat, what with her short height and thin frame. But Cassie was rather good at sussing out the dangerous ones, and the confidence radiating from the other girl was a clear red flag all on its own.

"So you're Cassie, huh?" the other girl spoke, her own eyes raking over Cassie just as the little cat had done with her only seconds ago. "You don't seem like much."

Cassie growled in response to the insult, causing the unknown girl to chuckle in amusement.

"But I could be wrong, you certainly gave Harry a good chase," she admitted, seemingly rather impressed with the little cat.

 _'So,'_ the little cat thought, a small breath of air leaving her as she _finally_ learnt her attackers name.

Harry Hook. It fit him rather well.

"Is there a reason your boyfriend threw me in here instead of killing me? I mean, I know people like to play around with their food, but this is taking it a bit far don't you think?" wondered Cassie.

The other girl gave a loud laugh, and Cassie furrowed her brows in confusion and annoyance. What was so funny?

"He's not my boyfriend. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's nice to look at but...nah."

Cassie gave a small nod and leaned forward. "So what are you then? Let me guess," she said with a long winded sigh, her eyes roaming about the room to give the impression she was thinking long and hard about what this girl was to Harry. "You're his side-chick, huh?" The other girl scowled at the assumption, straightening herself as she crossed her arms. "Or, you're just another mangy pirate that no one gives a shit about. I mean there seems to be a lot of you around these parts, too many for me to count, actually. You'd think the villains would be smart enough to not open their legs for every man that showed an interest."

Truthfully, Cassie wasn't ever this nasty or cruel. She never had a reason to be. She kept to herself and no one really bothered with her during the evening, and there wasn't much she could do in her feline form. But there was something about being locked in a cage that stirred a small viciousness in Cassie. After all, she'd been born and raised on the Isle just like all the others, and for four years straight she'd had no one to rely on but herself. So even though she was quiet and rather reclusive, she was still a V.K., and she could push just as hard as they did.

The pirate girl slowly stalked forward, her lips pressed together and her brows furrowed. She wasn't happy, that much was true. Her eyes blackened, her fists clenched, and there was even a slight notch in her breathing pattern. The teal-haired pirate-girl held every physical tell of someone rather close to falling from the edge. And even though Cassie should have felt scared, she didn't. For whatever reason, Harry seemed rather intent on keeping her alive, if just to kill her or punish her himself, and that gave her some kind of immunity from the violent intents of other pirates.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" the pirate girl said, her voice but a whisper as she put her face to the bars between them. "I'm not his side-chick, and I'm not just another 'mangy pirate'." Her voice was eerily calm, but Cassie could still sense the underlying fury in her tone. Harry had been easy to push: A few harsh comments about his father and he was swinging. But _this_ pirate was different. Better, even.

"Then what are you?" the little cat asked with uncertainty. She wasn't feeling very pleased with herself right now. If anything, her formerly satisfied expression of having insulted this pirate girl had completely diminished the moment the other girl spoke to her. She didn't know why, but she had a strong feeling she'd completely fucked things up for herself in some way.

The pirate girl kept quiet about her identity, though her brows raised slightly with amusement. She seemed to be rather intent on dragging this out for Cassie, and it truly wound up the little cat. If this girl wasn't Harry's 'girlfriend', or anything else closely associated with the term, and she wasn't 'just another pirate', then what was she?

"I'll let you figure it out yourself, but here's a big clue for you," the teal-haired pirate said, moving her arm to rest above her head against the bars. "I'm higher than Harry."

Cassie repeated the rather cryptic clue in her mind, her lips tilting downward into a thoughtful frown. How in the name of Hades was she supposed to guess who this girl was when she didn't even know what rank Harry was in the pirate food-chain? From what she'd seen of the red pirate so far, he was - in no way - just the guy who scrubbed the deck. His arrogance and complete confidence in himself was enough for her to at least guess he was a little higher up on the ladder. But her 'talk' with him in his quarters reminded her that while he might have some kind of status going for him, he wasn't Captain.

The small girl winced, her eyes widening a fraction as she fully recounted the conversation between herself and the hook-wielding pirate. _He_ wasn't Captain: He'd told her as much. But he had mentioned that his Captain was a girl.

"U-Uma?" the little cat stuttered with slight hesitance, repeatedly praying in her mind that her guess was wrong and that the girl in front of her would tell her otherwise.

"Oh!" the pirate girl exclaimed with feigned delight. "So he told you my name, huh?" Her expression shifted into one of satisfaction and overwhelming amusement, Cassie's mortified features only spurring her on further. "You should be real flattered, he never lets me meet his girlfriends."

Cassie ignored the Captain's teasing words and clamped her eyes shut, her fingers hastily moving through her long strands of hair as she mentally cursed herself out for being so damn stupid. Although, in her own defence, her mind was rather muddled and not in perfect working condition. How was she to know anything about anyone on this side of the Isle? She hadn't even realised Harry's bloodline when the evidence was right there on his left hand, practically screaming at her to get away from him as soon as possible. So, really, it was no surprise that Cassie didn't recognize the Captain of the ship. After all, this pirate girl looked exactly the same as the others.

Cassie couldn't help but grimace. Not only had she stolen from, and insulted, the son of Captain Hook himself. She'd thoughtlessly gone one higher and went as far as to verbally taunt the only person capable of controlling the red pirate, and if Cassie was lucky - which she highly doubted at this point in time - the only other person on this side of the Isle with the power to release her from this cell.

"Having a bad night, are we?" said Uma with a falsely considerate voice, a wide grin stretching across her face.

Cassie glowered and pouted her lips, her head dipped down in a rather childish manner. She couldn't even look the Captain in the face. However, the moment Cassie lowered her eyes, her inner demon sang loud and clear in the back of her mind the moment she saw a golden, shiny object around the Captain's neck.

The small girl analysed the object to the best of her ability. The darkness in the room wasn't helping in the slightest, and the faint glow of the lantern only showed enough to have her interests piqued. Much to her dismay, she couldn't fully make a decision on the chain holding the charm in place. The charm itself, though, was rather large in size, and thus Cassie could clearly make out just how 'special' it was.

"So it's true, huh?" the Captain piped up, distracting Cassie from her former thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You like to take pretty things. Harry told me, and I've heard a few things from others," she explained with a small shrug. She took hold of the shell-shaped charm around her neck, raising it just enough for Cassie to see it better. "You like this?" she inquired curiously, and Cassie gave a small and sharp nod. "You can't have it."

 _'Bad move.'_

This time, Cassie agreed with her inner-voice wholeheartedly. Yes, she had a rather unique fascination with beautiful objects, but more often than not she tried her best to sway herself from taking things if the challenge seemed too great. However, telling someone of her nature that they couldn't have something was a very, very risky game to play. In truth, if the Captain hadn't told her she couldn't have it, Cassie would've eventually forced herself to leave this one alone. But she was rather certain Harry had long since made sure his pocket watch was well hidden, which meant all of this trouble had been for nothing. If she was fortunate enough to leave this place, then she'd be going home empty handed. And that just _wasn't_ an option.

Uma stared back at Cassie with a haughty expression, and the little cat forced herself down. If she was going to get out with anything then she had to play it safe. She had to make herself seem like she wasn't a threat.

"Why am I here?" she managed to say, pushing the nagging voice in her head toward the back of her mind, and asking the one question that'd been plaguing her thoughts since she woke up.

"Nu-uh kitty cat." Uma tutted, lightly wiggling her index finger in Cassie's direction. "I'll be asking the questions today."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," the little cat objected lightly, shaking her head back and forth. "I'm not answering any of _your_ questions until you answer mine. M'kay?" Cassie thought this entire situation was absolutely ridiculous. What was the point in asking her any questions if Harry was just going to kill her in the end? And why would she even want to answer any inquires of theirs when they'd treated her so horribly? The pirates were certainly a finicky bunch, but they hadn't quite thought this one all the way through.

Much to Cassie's surprise, she received no death threats or snarky comments from the Captain. Instead, Uma averted her eyes, poking her tongue against the inside of her cheek as she thought over Cassie's words, and eventually gave the little cat a nod.

"Okay. Twenty questions, then."

Cassie tilted her head. "Twenty questions?"

"Yup. I ask something, you answer. Then you ask and I answer. Get it?" the Captain explained, and Cassie nodded. "Good. Me first."

While the Captain racked her brain for whatever question she wanted the answer to, Cassie's eyes subtly flickered back down towards the beautiful pendant around the other girl's neck. Uma was stupidly close to the bars keeping them separate, and with a few sneaky, and possibly brutal, movements Cassie could easily have it in her hands. But now wasn't the time. If she took it now then Uma would notice right away, and the Captain would have the rest of the pirates, with Harry included, down in the cells in a heartbeat. They'd open up the cage, hold her down for Uma to reclaim her object, and Cassie would - most likely - be beaten down by the whole group. And even though her fingers twitched, the urge to take it right here and now possessing her small body, the little cat fought it off. It wasn't the right time.

"Ooh, I know!" the Captain exclaimed suddenly, causing Cassie to flinch and remove her gaze from the necklace. "How do you change into a cat?"

Cassie pursed her lips, a small flutter of anxiety swirling around in her stomach. They knew she could turn into a cat... but how? No one on the Isle knew about her 'little' curse; No one except her father. Although, she hadn't exactly been subtle earlier on. Surely the sight of a cat loitering around the marketplace had raised a few questions amongst the pirates living there, and one of them had ran straight to Harry or Uma. It would certainly explain how Harry managed to find her so soon.

Cassie knew full well she couldn't tell Uma about the curse itself. It was her biggest weakness: Aside from her constant and nagging desire to take beautiful things home, and her ever growing curiosity for things she should stay well away from. If she told Uma that she turned into a girl when the sun went down, and a fluffy black cat when the sun came up, then the pirates would somehow use it to their own advantage. She wasn't quite sure how her curse would benefit them in any way, but a few of them were clever, and there was a good chance they'd find some way to use it.

"Magic," she whispered simply, and when the Captain opened her mouth to say something else, the little cat quickly cut her off. "My turn."

Uma made a strange noise, similar to that of a grunt, in the back of her throat, clearly irritated that Cassie was getting her own question while also sticking to the rules of the 'game'. After all, it was a 'question-answer' game, and the Captain hadn't mentioned anything about Cassie detailing her answers.

"Why am I here?" the little cat asked once more.

"I actually don't know," said Uma, and Cassie rolled her eyes. "Truly. I thought he'd kill you as soon as he found you, guess I was wrong." The Captain shuffled against the bars, switching to lean on her left arm instead. "How do you have magic on the Isle?"

Cassie thought frantically, pressing her mind for an answer that wouldn't put her life on the line. Unfortunately, she couldn't find one.

"It's not my magic. My turn. Is there any way for me to get out of this cell?"

"Not unless Harry says so," the Captain said shortly, eager to get Cassie's turn over and done with so that she could ask her own question. "If it's not _your_ magic, then whose is it?"

Cassie fidgeted and chewed her bottom lip. "I don't know." Uma rolled her eyes and went to step back, and Cassie raced to explain further in a bid to keep the girl with her. "My dad wouldn't tell me. Please, I'm telling the truth."

Uma sighed and returned to her former position, apparently confident that Cassie was telling the truth with that one, and the little cat released a small breath of relief.

"How do I get Harry to let me out?" wondered Cassie.

"You any good on your knees?" remarked Uma. It wasn't her deflecting Cassie's question with one of her own, she was pointedly, and rather crudely, giving Cassie the exact means to get out of this tricky situation. But it was _not_ a level of pathetic Cassie had drifted into... yet.

"Ew," the little cat said with a grimace. "Hell no."

"Then he's not letting you out," the Captain muttered with a shrug, and Cassie huffed in response. "My turn. What does your dad have to do with you turning into a cat?"

"I got it from him," the little cat explained with the least amount of detail she could. After all, she wasn't lying, per say. It was more of an omission. "Is there any chance of _you_ letting me leave?" Her question was bold and she knew it, and from the astounded expression on Uma's face it was apparent the Captain knew it too. But Cassie was running out of lives, so to speak, and she had to cover all bases.

"Maybe," the teal-haired girl replied rather mysteriously, and Cassie was furious to realise the Captain was going to leave it at that. "Where's your dad?"

"I don't know," the little cat snapped rather abruptly, her overwhelming displeasure at being stuck in a cage, and the lingering anxiety of not being able to escape, forming a dangerous and uncomfortable mix. She could only spend a small amount of time stuck behind four walls before eventually going crazy. Her need to go out and explore and find something new always drove her to the brink of insanity, and this time was no different.

"He left when I was fourteen and I haven't seen him since," she added with a much gentler voice, knowing that biting off the hand of the Captain wasn't going to get her out of her predicament any sooner. "What time is it?"

Uma raised a brow in slight bewilderment, her facial features translating to Cassie that her question was a rather odd one. But the pirate answered nonetheless. "Around eleven-ish."

Cassie gave a slow nod in response. She hadn't been out long: Only two hours at the most. It meant she had quite a few hours before the sun came up, and it gave her some time to come up with a plan to get out before then.

"Why did you want to know what time it was?" the Captain asked curiously, her own dark eyes narrowing as she thought over the question.

"I wanted to know how long I'd been in here," the little cat replied smoothly, inwardly praying that the Captain wouldn't ask for more details. She knew she should have been a little smarter about that question in particular, but she hadn't thought Uma would pay special attention to it. A stupid mistake on Cassie's part.

"How do I get you to let me out?" she asked.

Uma shrugged and lifted her left hand, her fingers lightly toying with the pendant around her neck. "You prove you can be useful to me. Anyway... you got someone waiting on you out there?" She nodded her head toward the exit pointedly, and Cassie frowned.

"No. I'm on my own," she replied quietly, releasing the cold bars to wrap her arms across her stomach. "How do I prove myself useful to you?"

"If there's something you can do that no one else in my crew can, and you prove it, then you're kind'a useful. But keep in my mind my pirates are good thieves, sword fighters, and they're loyal."

It wasn't hard for Cassie to tell that Uma was rather proud of her raggedy group of pirates. The little cat had to wonder what it felt like to have that much power over people. She ran by herself and only looked out for herself, and she could barely comprehend the idea of having to look after more than one person. Truthfully, it sounded like a very stressful and difficult leadership. One Cassie would never understand or experience.

"If you don't have anyone out there waiting, then why does it matter how long you've been here?"

Cassie blanched, a sudden nausea bubbling up in the back of her throat. Why did Uma care why she wanted to leave? Asking how long she'd been asleep wasn't a weird or surprising question, especially since she'd been taken by people she didn't know or like. All of a sudden, Cassie felt unbearably uncomfortable, Uma's prying driving the little cat into a state of utter anxiety.

"It doesn't," she eventually managed to say, a forced and nervous giggle leaving her mouth. She could tell the Captain didn't believe her, and that fuelled her apprehension. "Is Harry gonna kill me?"

"Probably," the Captain said honestly. "Why did you want to know the time?"

The little cat frowned. "You already asked me that."

"And you lied. Now answer."

"I didn't lie!"

The air in the room became overwhelmingly thick with tension: Cassie's suffocating dread and anger fighting back against Uma's calm and careless demeanour.

It wasn't hard for Uma to tell the little 'thief' was increasingly uncomfortable with this line of questioning, but she didn't care. Her interests had been piqued the moment Cassie asked for the time, since many of the prisoners they'd had down in the cells had _never_ even thought to ask that question. It would have made more sense if Cassie had friends, or someone on the outside waiting around for her, but she didn't. Cassie had all the time in the world to spend with them, and her rush to leave was what made Uma keep pushing.

Meanwhile, Cassie stepped away from the bars between her and the Captain, her hands moving to her forehead as her vision became worryingly blurry. She could practically feel her heart racing, a repetitive _thud_ echoing in her ears. She _needed_ to calm down. Her freedom rested solely on whether or not she kept her cool, but it was a task easier said than done. The thought of laying herself bare for the teal-haired Captain scared her more than anything else: Especially with the thought of what this girl could do with that information running through her brain.

"Cassie, answer the question," the Captain said softly, though the demanding edge she took wasn't lost on either girl.

"No!" yelled Cassie, hastily rubbing her clammy palms against her dress. She felt intolerably warm, like she was wrapped up in twenty blankets and unable to twist herself out.

"Fine," the Captain stated plainly, moving away from the cell. "I guess I'll just send Harry down here then," she said loudly, and Cassie froze.

"W-what?"

"I told him to wait, said I wanted to ask a few questions. Well I got my answers, and technically you're Harry's prisoner. It's his turn now."

~...~...~

Harry yawned and lightly tapped his hook against the side of the ship, clucking his tongue repeatedly into a rhythmic tune. He turned away from the ocean and looked back at the entrance of the ship, a loud groan of annoyance and boredom coming from his throat when he saw no sign of his Captain. The impatient side of him pushed for him to go down there and hover near the door to the cells, and try and listen in on whatever conversation Uma was having with his little thief. But the loyal first mate he had inside of him won in the end, reminding him that Uma knew what she was doing and that he had to stay where he was.

He shuffled around again, twisting his body so that his arms crossed above the railing. He mindlessly raised his hook and scratched his left cheek, only to grunt and flinch in pain when he remembered exactly why it was itching in the first place.

 _'That bloody cat,'_ he thought, reaching up with his other hand to touch the spot she'd marked earlier. He looked down at his fingers and rolled his eyes once he saw the red stain on his skin, his patience quickly running thin as his anger toward the little kitty increased.

Knocking Cassie out with his hook was - at the moment - one of the highlights of his life. She'd been so scared, her small body trembling when he brought her in closer, and he'd left her with - in his mind at least - the worst threat anyone could give. Of course he was going to kill her eventually, that much was inevitable. But he wanted to fuck with her first.

"Harry."

The first mate turned his head quickly, ignoring the small pain in the back of his neck as he did so, and found his Captain stood a few paces away from the entrance to the ship.

"I found out a few things, but not enough," she began, crossing her arms across her chest as she approached him. "I don't think she has magic, though."

"How can ya be sure?" he inquired, looking down at his Captain when she finally stood in front of him. "She 'as ta turn into a cat somehow, don't she?"

"Yeah, but we played a little game of twenty questions. The magic that helps her turn doesn't belong to her."

Harry frowned at that. "That don't make much sense."

"It makes perfect sense, actually," his Captain stated firmly. "If it isn't her magic that makes her turn, then she doesn't decide when it happens. Which means..." Uma trailed off hopefully, signalling for Harry to finish the sentence for her and signify that he understood exactly what she was saying.

"It means someone else is makin' 'er turn," he muttered thoughtfully, and Uma nodded in agreement.

"Exactly."

Harry tilted his head. "Ya find out who?"

"No," she spat with annoyance, her eyes rolling as she thought back on her conversation with Cassie. "She wouldn't tell me. All I know is that she gets the magic from her dad."

"An' where's he?"

Uma pursed her lips, her brows raised as she stared at him blankly. "If I knew the answer to that, d'you think I'd be stood here talking to you?"

"Alright," he muttered, "No need ta get testy with me. What else did ya find out?"

"Nothing interesting," the Captain sighed with a small shrug. "She's worried about you though," she commented, and Harry chuckled in response. "She thinks you're gonna kill her."

"Oh I am," he assured.

"No, you're not. If you were gonna kill her you would've done it already," she pointed out, a small smirk tugging away at her lips as Harry scowled in her direction. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Does it matter?" he said with a huff of annoyance.

Uma laughed at his growing frustration at her teasing, but her mood swiftly turned sombre when she thought harder on her statement. "What _are_ you gonna do, Harry?" She wasn't worried for the little cat, not in the slightest. In the end, Cassie was a thief, and whatever Harry had planned she probably deserved. But the little cat had someone's magic running through her veins, and Uma had to know whose.

"Aww Uma," the first mate cooed, craning himself awkwardly in order to get his face closer to hers. "Are ya feelin' sorry for tha little kitty?"

"Don't fuck around, Harry. She has magic and if it's not hers then it's someone else's."

"Ya're losin' it, Cap'. Tha barrier keeps all magic out, not even Maleficent could break the bloody thing. What makes ya think someone else can?"

"I'm serious!" she exclaimed.

"So am I!" he countered. "Why didn' ya jus' ask 'er yarself?" He wildly gestured towards the entrance of the ship with his hook, and Uma shook her head quickly.

"I tried, she wouldn't tell me," she growled, slowly pacing back and forth. "She asked me what the time was."

"Come again?" he wondered.

"She asked me what the time was," repeated Uma, continuing her annoying movements as she spoke. "She said she wanted to know how long she'd been asleep. But I asked her if she had someone waiting, and she said no. My guess is she lied."

"Aye, would make sense I s'pose."

"I know I'm right. She got defensive when I pushed, wouldn't answer my question after that."

The first mate nodded in understanding. "Ya wan' me to go down there?" It wasn't an offer. He was going down to see Cassie anyway, and he knew Uma's mind just as well as he knew his own. If the little kitty wouldn't respond to Uma, then the Captain had no choice but to ask him to go and get some much needed answers.

Uma stopped pacing and turned to fully face Harry, her tongue pushed against the inside of her cheek once again. "Don't hurt her too bad," she told him. "I want to know who's waiting for her, and we can't find that out if you rip her tongue out."

"One time, Uma," he groaned, thinking back on that rather eventful day when some outsider had made the mistake of speaking bad about his father. He hadn't killed the guy, but he made damn sure the stupid idiot wouldn't be slating any more villains.

"You know what I mean, Harry," she sighed. "No hooking, no tongue cutting, and no flirting." She muttered the last word with a disapproving grimace, and Harry grinned.

"Now that's not very fair, is it?" he teased, earning himself a hard glare from the Captain. "Fine. I'll go easy on 'er, happy?" It was a full blown lie and they both knew it. 'Easy' wasn't a part of him and it never had been. If he was going to get an answer from Cassie he'd go all in, and he had no doubts in his mind that she'd cave.

They always did.

~...~...~

After Uma's departure, Cassie had quickly retreated into herself, mentally preparing her frazzled mind to deal with the red pirate.

It hadn't taken long for her formerly panicked state to disappear. In a few seconds, after the Captain had gone up top, Cassie's heart had returned to its normal rhythm. Her body had cooled down immensely, and she no longer felt the urge to throw up. But Cassie knew full well the only reason she'd even felt any of it was because of the question Uma had thrown her way, and she mentally berated herself for not dealing with it in a much calmer fashion. Surely she'd have been able to come up with a believable lie, but instead she'd let her emotions get the best of her, and now she was going to have to deal with the consequences.

The small girl shivered and pulled her knees to her chest, her small form curled up in the corner of the small cell. The air was freezing, and with no fur and barely any clothes to keep her warm, Cassie had a small feeling she'd be getting sick sometime soon.

An echoing _creak_ sounded from the doorway, and Cassie flinched, wrapping her arms around her legs as she waited anxiously for the hooked pirate to come into view.

"Here kitty, kitty," the familiar voice taunted with a chuckle.

Cassie rolled her eyes at his words, and after a quick moment of reassurance, she got to her feet.

Despite the ever-present apprehension in her stomach, Cassie forced herself to remain as calm and collected as she possibly could. She already knew he was going to ask the same thing Uma had tried to force her to answer, and she'd already prepared herself for it. But what Cassie couldn't count on was exactly _how_ Harry planned on getting the answer from her. After all, it seemed that - between the Captain and first mate - Uma was the calm approach, and Harry was the violent one. And since Uma's technique hadn't worked on the little cat, the Captain probably assumed Harry's way would. But if that was the case then Cassie would take it, and hopefully she'd be able to give as good as she got.

"Harry," the little cat greeted, his name rolling off her tongue in the most resentful tone she could muster.

"Hmm, I like tha way ya say my name, love," he teased, slowly traipsing into the room with a lantern in his right hand.

The little cat grimaced. "You always flirt with the people you're gonna kill?"

"Only the pretty ones," he told her, coming to stand directly in front of the cell she was stuck in. He lowered the lantern to the floor and placed it beside his right foot, his eyes meticulously roaming over every inch of her body as he stood to full height. "And ya're quite the pretty one, little kitty."

Cassie rolled her eyes again, her gaze narrowing into a glare as the smirk on his face widened. She wasn't used to such means of interrogation. She hadn't ever been interrogated before, but this wasn't quite what she expected.

When the little cat thought of being trapped by someone else, she thought of violence and nasty words. Knives cutting into her skin, bruises marking her legs, arms, and face. Uma's approach to this situation had been exactly what she imagined. And though the 'twenty questions' idea had thrown her a bit, it still made sense. But Harry's flirtatious nature was something Cassie wasn't familiar with, and since she didn't know how to properly deal with his antics, she decided not to play.

"Just do what you've gotta do, Harry. I don't have time for this shit," she said irritably.

"Actually, from what I've 'eard, ya've got all the time in the bloody world." Harry slowly moved from the left side of the cell, running his index finger along the bars as Cassie followed his motions. She took great caution and kept herself a good foot away from the bars themselves, making sure he couldn't lay a hand on her.

"You're right," she agreed with a small shrug. "I guess I do."

Harry raised a single brow at her words, and Cassie forced herself down. It was obvious he didn't believe her, but she'd already made the careless mistake of fighting back at Uma, and she wasn't going to do the same with him.

"Tell me somethin' about ya then, Cassie," he said, leaning his right side against the cell.

"W-what do you wanna know?" she stuttered, a small frown working its way onto her features. She was surprised, and just a little wary, that he wasn't going to ask her the same question Uma had. He was skirting around the subject completely, and she had to make sure she didn't fall into whatever trap he was laying out for her.

"Hmm, I dunno… what do ya do in yar spare time?"

"C'mon now Harry," she tutted, hoping he wouldn't see straight through her and sense the underlying fear she was trying so hard to keep at bay. "You should know the answer to that."

"That's right," he muttered thoughtfully. "Ya take things that don' belong ta ya, 'special things' if I remember right."

Cassie felt the growl bubbling in her throat, and she was unable to contain it fully. A little noise came from her mouth and he'd heard it clear as day.

"I'm not judgin' ya," the first mate assured, raising his hands in somewhat of a 'white-flag' motion. "But I mean when ya're not doin' that. Ya can' possibly be lookin' around all day an' night, so what d'ya do?"

"I-I go to the witch school," she managed to say. Cassie knew as long as she steered clear of mentioning her 'curse', then she was good to go, and all she had to do was keep him occupied. It seemed simple enough.

"Ah, so ya do have magic?" he exclaimed, and she shook her head.

"No. The witches just really, really love cats. They feed me, play with me, and give me everything I need."

Harry frowned for a moment. "So when ya're a kitty, what does it feel like?"

 _'Careful Cassie,'_ her mind warned her. He was moving into touchy territory, and she had to be careful.

"It's...weird," she muttered, attempting to find a way to fully explain to him just how it felt to be in her feline form. "It's just like being me. My body changes, and my sight gets different, but my head is still the same. I can move faster, hear everything, and sneak around into places I wouldn't be able to looking like this." She gestured down to her human form, her eyes rolling skyward as Harry gladly looked her over once more. "It's like being a fly on the wall, I guess. No one thinks twice about the cats on the Isle."

"So ya can pretty much do what ya want then?" he assumed.

Cassie shook her head. "No. Flies don't bother people, but they still get swatted. People here aren't nice to animals, Harry."

"I can understand that. But ya had some fun with Gilly-boy didn' ya?"

"He was nice to me," the little cat said with a small smile, her spirits raising somewhat at the mention of the blonde-haired pirate. " _He_ didn't try to hurt me," she said pointedly, raising her brows at the hooked pirated.

"Aww c'mon now," he huffed with a small pout. "Ya're not still bein' salty about that are ya?" His eyes surveyed the side of her face, where Cassie knew a bruise had probably formed.

"You knocked me out!" she exclaimed.

"An' ya clawed my face," he countered. "Ya can' expect me to play nice when ya hurt me, love."

Cassie couldn't withhold the small giggle of amusement, nor could she disagree with his argument. She _had_ hit him first. But she wouldn't have had to if he hadn't been chasing her down in the alleyways.

"I guess you got me there."

"So," groaned Harry, switching to lean on his left side. "If ya can turn inta a kitty, why haven' ya done it already?"

Cassie held her breath, clamping her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought of something to come back with. "I have my reasons," was all she managed to say.

"Oh c'mon now Cassie," he whined childishly, pressing his front against the cells between them. "Ya gotta give me more than that, love."

Cassie knew full well what he was up to, and she wasn't about to fall into this game. Harry could be as playful and as charming as he wanted, but there was no way in hell he was going to get a good enough answer from her. After all, Cassie had been unfortunate enough to see some of the darkness he held, and she knew that how he was now was just a façade, of sorts. Everything about him was a smokescreen. His unusual accent weaving webs of sweetness, the high-spirited grin on his face, even the way he carried himself about. His outer shell was appealing to many, but it was what was inside that Cassie worried about.

"I wanna know more about you," she declared suddenly, taking a careful step closer toward the bars. "You wanna know so much about me, it's only fair I know a little about the pirate keeping me locked in here. Right?"

For a split second, Cassie saw the 'real' Harry; The one she'd spent the night running from. She saw him the moment she finished her sentence, revealing himself in a small twist in Harry's lips, his brows furrowing in annoyance as she attempted to deflect his aim. He was gone as soon as he appeared, hidden safely behind Harry's wonderfully-perfected mask of indifference. But she'd spotted it, and that was enough.

"What do ya wanna know, love?" he wondered, the little term of endearment sliding off of his tongue with something akin to irritation.

"You and Uma, you guys a thing?" she probed curiously. She didn't have a real reason to know. In fact, it didn't interest her in the slightest. But she had to get him off his game _somehow_ , and this seemed to be the best way to do that.

"Why so curious little kitty?" he inquired quietly, inching his face closer to the gap in the bars. "I can make some time for ya, if ya want." His voice was low and his accent thick, the subtle innuendo churning Cassie's stomach in an oddly delightful way.

For the first thirteen years of her life, Cassie had spent every waking moment attached to her father. Where he went, she followed, and it stayed that way until he left. Afterwards, she kept to herself, not speaking to anyone when she was human and staying far away from those who weren't the witches when she was a cat. She knew how dark and evil the Isle was, how twisted people were, but in the end of it all she was still _just_ a sixteen year-old girl. And, like all the others, certain members of the opposite gender piqued her interests in a rather irritating manner. Cassie wasn't stupid, and she'd seen a lot: Probably more than people should. Subtlety wasn't exactly a big factor on the Isle, and she'd accidentally caught many on the Isle in rather... intimate positions. Cassie was taunted by loneliness, so it was only natural she'd occasionally wonder what it would be like.

But Harry wasn't it. He wasn't what she wanted, and he wasn't what she needed to fight against her demons. He was simply a ridiculously attractive teenager trying to play on her most basic human urges, and that was as far as it went.

"Are you then?" she finally asked him, clearly pushing aside his attempts.

"No," he admitted, a faint scowl on his face. "We're not. She's my Captain, an' my best mate. It's a line ya don' cross."

Cassie was slightly astounded by his confession. She'd half-expected another attempt on his part, but he hadn't given her one. He'd given her the truth.

"What about _you_ then, little kitty? Ya got someone on the outside?"

"No," she replied, shaking the small expression of bewilderment from her face. "No one. Just me."

"C'mon now Cassie," he drawled, lifting his hook to hang onto one of the bars. "Ya can' possibly tell me a girl as gorgeous as yarself hasn' got a guy waitin' on 'er?"

"I can tell you that, because it's true."

Harry nodded slowly, his expression turning serious for the time being. "Sounds a bit lonely, love. I mean I get we're prisoners an' all, but there's no fun in playin' by yarself."

"I'm a prisoner on an island full of villains, Harry. I'm not supposed to have fun. I'm supposed to survive," she told him with as much sincerity as she could, the sorrow that often plagued her nights making itself known in the tone of her voice.

"But ya don' wanna jus' 'survive', do ya? Ya wanna run aroun' an' play like tha rest of us. Livin' in fear all tha time won' help ya, ya have ta learn how ta rule like we do."

"My dad's been gone for four years, Harry," she said abruptly. "You had your own dad to teach you how to live, and how to fight. And now you have a crew around you in case things get bad. He was a cat before he got cursed, all he taught me to do was run and hide. And that's all I know how to do."

The topic of conversation had certainly taken a downward turn, and Cassie's lingering wound of being abandoned by her own flesh and blood had engulfed her completely. What she told Harry was true. Her father hadn't ever been human before being thrown onto the Isle, and he didn't know how to be one. All her father had known was fight-or-flight, and he taught her the basics of the latter. He told her that, because of her shortness in size, there was no way for her to come out of a violent altercation in one piece. There was no chance for her to win against someone else, so she had to stick to the side lines.

"Curse, eh?"

As soon as those two words passed through Harry's lips, Cassie froze completely. She hadn't noticed her slip-up during their conversation, and she was horrified to realise she'd done the one thing she'd specifically focussed on not doing.

 _'Oh. No.'_

The little cat stared back at the hooked pirate, her nausea returning with a vengeance as she saw a smirk of satisfaction spread across his face. All this time she thought she'd been doing so well, keeping him well away from the truth she fought so hard to keep from him. But she'd somehow let herself fall in, and in doing so she'd revealed the one thing about herself that no one else knew.

"This whole 'cat' thing isn' by choice, is it?" he asked her, though they both knew full well it was just him voicing his thoughts as he rather cleverly put the pieces together. "That's why ya haven' gone yet. Why ya asked Uma what tha time was. Ya can' turn back on yar own, can ya?"

Cassie struggled to breathe as his words got louder, her instincts kicking into high hear with each correct conclusion he came to.

"Someone cursed yar dad, an' then you got it too. That's why he left ya."

Without giving much thought to her actions, Cassie brutally flung herself against the bars. "Let me out of this fucking cage!" she yelled, her utter outrage towards the hooked pirate doubling as he merely stepped back, a nasty chuckle sounding from his throat.

"Oh little kitty," he taunted eagerly, lightly shaking his head. "Ya fell right inta that one, didn' ya?"

"I'm going to get out of here, Harry," she told him, sucking in deep breaths as she lowered her voice. "And when I do, I'm going to rip your eyes out."

"Cassie, Cassie." Harry tutted, placing his right hand against his chest. "I do love it when ya fight back, gets the high goin' don' it?"

His amusement and delight at her suffering only made it worse, and she knew that the minute he was gone her anger would leave and she'd be left with nothing but a suffocating wave of humiliation and helplessness.

When he moved forward, and closer to the cell, Cassie foolishly shoved her hand through the gap in the cell bars, determined to scratch his pretty face once again. But he was ready for it this time. The second her hand almost caught him, he caught her wrist with his fingers, his grip painfully tightening.

"I tol' ya I was gonna ruin ya, Cassie, an' I meant it."

Cassie struggled for a moment, until she realised he was much stronger than her and clearly had the upper hand. A small gasp flew through her parted lips as her wrist began to throb, her left hand holding tight to the bars as if it was an anchor. She could barely feel the sting in her palm as she squeezed the cold steel tighter, the adrenaline pulsing through her body until she couldn't feel anything.

Harry kept his vice-like grip on her arm, and he kept his eyes securely locked with hers as he moved his left arm, a dark glint of something or other shining in his eyes.

"H-Harry," she pleaded with a whisper, her dark eyes frantically darting between his own and the sharp hook he now held above her wrist.

Cassie could feel the sting as he put more pressure on the weapon, the point digging uncomfortably into her skin. With a little more force he could have his hook straight in her arm, and she'd bleed out within minutes.

"Shush, kitty," he told her gently, his tone greatly conflicting with his actions. "Calm down."

Cassie didn't want to calm down. She wanted to rip apart the cell keeping her from him and tear him to shreds. She wanted to yell at him to let her go or - at the very least - let her arm go. But she couldn't, and she wouldn't. She had to do what he said.

It didn't come as much surprise to him when it took her a bit of time to calm herself, and even when she did it was obvious she was nothing short of absolutely terrified. Her wide and fearful eyes stayed on the hook, and her focus on said object somehow pushed away everything else she was feeling.

"Good girl," he praised, tormenting her further by dragging his hook up and down her forearm, crafting prickly little scratches on her perfect skin. "I'm gonna fuck yar world up, love. I jus' gave ya a little taste of it first."

The pirate removed his hook from her arm, but Cassie barely had enough time to bask in the relief of it. The moment he removed his dreaded weapon from it's ministrations, he had something else of his firmly planted on the space between her wrist and forearm.

Cassie jolted the second he had his lips against her skin, her expression twisting from overwhelming terror to complete bewilderment. It wasn't painful, and it wasn't completely uncomfortable. If anything, there was something rather pleasing in Harry's odd movements. Whatever he was up to, it sparked a small fire in the pit of her stomach, and she hated it.

The kiss was short and simple, though the aftermath was far from either. Harry pulled back from her with a large grin on his face, apparently pleased with the reaction he'd forced out of the little cat. Meanwhile, Cassie stood absolutely still, her chest rising and falling erratically as she attempted to right her breathing patterns. She was confused, scared, and a mix of so many other emotions that she couldn't think straight. But that was exactly what Harry wanted.

"I'll see ya soon, kitty," he assured her, whistling an unrecognizable tune as he picked up the small lantern and headed back up top.

Cassie stared at the entrance long after he'd gone, her arm still hanging out through the gap in the bars. Her haphazard emotions soon fell back into their natural places, and as soon as the adrenaline wavered she felt an awful sting in the palm of her left hand.

A small frown came to her face as she pulled away from the bars and inspected her hand. The cut was deep and stretched across her palm, a continuous flow of red dripping down onto the wooden floor.

Cassie huffed and huddled back in the corner of her cell, a small cry of agony bouncing through the room as she pressed the cloth of her dress to the wound.

 _'Damn it, Cassie.'_

* * *

AN;

Hello readers!

Okay, so, I know I said Cassie's curse would be cleared up a bit in this chapter. But things took a turn so I have to apologise, but it will be coming soon.

Review acknowledgement time!;

Lola Vegas; :D :D :D

Sasha2702; I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! And yes, Harry is kind of messed up in this story. I think this chapter especially shows how tapped he is in the head. And there will be a lot more to come, so I hope you stick around for it. :)

mollichine; I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope you like this chapter.

StrawberryNeko7; I'm so happy you like my writing! And yeah, my stories kind of take on the darker aspects of the Isle. But it is a prison filled with the worst Disney villains, so I wanted to show just how messed up it was/could be. And I agree, Harry and crazy goes together perfectly. And I'm glad you like how he is in this story so far.

X Blue Eyed Demon x; Thank you! :)

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you thought about this chapter. And much love to everyone who've favourited, followed and reviewed so far!

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed when I've had a proper read through.)


	5. If You Win

Warnings;

. Swearing  
. Sexual tension towards the end... I guess?

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

"A curse? Seriously," the teal-haired Captain muttered with disappointment, twirling one of her long braids between her fingers.

"It's what tha little one said," said Harry with a small shrug, shuffling around on the stool he currently sat on. "Ain't much use, is it?"

Uma grumbled incoherently and rested her chin on her hand, the fingers of her left hand repeatedly drumming against the table as she thought.

Truthfully, the new information Harry had somehow obtained from Cassie wasn't of any use to her. All it explained was the little cat's reluctance to discuss the matter with them, and why she'd gotten so touchy when Uma pressed her for an answer earlier. It didn't tell them who on the Isle had the magical capabilities of turning someone into an animal, or - if Uma had to aim a little higher - take down the barrier itself.

Cassie didn't seem to know anyone on the Isle, that much Uma was certain of. After all, if the little cat did have someone, they'd have surely come for her by now. This mean that, since Cassie had inherited the curse from her dad, whoever had spelled the Cheshire Cat was somehow directly linked to the trickster himself. But Uma barely knew enough about Wonderland or the infamous Cheshire Cat, and she had no way of knowing who on the Isle would have a grudge against him. The only one she could think of was the Queen of Hearts. But surely if the psychotic woman had some magic in her then she wouldn't be spending her days running a salon in the middle of the Isle. It just didn't make sense.

"She say anything else?"

Harry gave another shrug. "She said she hangs 'round with tha witches."

"It can't be them," the Captain told him, shaking her head. "Who in their right mind would spend time around the people that made them turn into a cat whenever they wanted to? Cassie's weird but she's not stupid."

Harry rolled his eyes, but gave a small nod to show that he agreed with her statement.

"What time is it?" she wondered randomly.

"What are ya on about?" he sighed. Harry was bored, and the fun he'd had with the little cat had only sustained him for so long.

Uma ignored his careless attitude toward her question and leaned forward, fiddling around with the pocket watch he had around his neck. She pushed down on the button and the charm popped open, a faint ticking reaching her ears.

"It's almost twelve," she uttered toward herself, clasping the charm back in place as she leaned away from Harry.

"An' yar point is?"

"If Cassie's under a curse then she's gonna turn back into a cat. It might happen at midnight," she explained.

"I don' think so. I chased 'er aroun' all mornin' when she was _human,_ Uma. There's no way it's happenin' at midnight."

"You got someone watching her at least?"

He nodded. "Aye. I sent Gilly down there."

Uma raised her brows, slightly surprised Harry had decided that - out of all of them - the son of Gaston was the best to watch the prisoner. "That a good idea?" she inquired pointedly.

"Well, _your_ way didn' work now, did it?" he said, and she glared. "An' I doubt she wants ta see me after what I did. So I reckon Gill's tha best decision."

"By the way, what did you do?" Uma had made damn sure before that Harry knew not to hurt Cassie too bad, but he'd left that ship looking like the cat that ate the canary, so to speak, and Uma was allowed to worry about how he handled the little cat. After all, Harry was quite the easy one to push, and from what Uma had experienced it seemed Cassie was rather fond of finding the right button. Cassie was the only one she knew of that had magic, and even if it wasn't hers and it was just a 'punishment' of sorts, she was their only clue to finding the _real_ spell caster.

In short, Cassie was useful. And worth more to them alive.

"I didn' hurt 'er, Uma," he assured, though the smug grin on his face made the Captain think otherwise. "I jus'... _played_ with 'er a little."

"I've seen you 'play' with people, Harry. In more ways than one," she said, her nose wrinkling with a grimace as a certain memory drifted into her mind.

"Hmm, I remember," he chuckled. "But I swear ta ya, Cap', I didn' touch her."

She nodded. "Good."

"Much."

"Harry!"

~...~...~

"Am I doing it right?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, like that."

Cassie nodded, her tongue lightly poking out of the side of her mouth as she attempted to focus on the 'game' Gil wanted them to play. 'Red Hands', he'd called it, and when she'd unabashedly admitted that she had no idea what it was... well, he'd been rather overjoyed to be the one to teach her.

After Harry had disappeared up top, and left her to her own miserable devices, Cassie had - as expected - fallen into a dark hole of slight self-loathing and embarrassment. She'd vocally berated herself for falling into his 'trap', and she'd repeatedly and inwardly yelled at herself and her stupid 'habit' for getting her into this mess in the first place. After all, if she hadn't been idiotic enough to follow the pirates when the Isle had turned upside down then she never would have snuck into Harry's bedroom and took his beloved pocket watch. The little cat had gotten too cocky, it seemed, having not been caught by anyone before when she took her 'special things'. Her current situation was a firm, and surely implanted, reminder that one could never be too careful on the Isle.

When Gil had come strolling into the room, she'd been visibly surprised at his appearance. At first, she'd gone and assumed he was another one sent in to try and break her, but that thought had fled rather swiftly from her mind. She'd told Harry pretty much everything, and he'd retracted the other answers by himself and in his own mind, and Uma knew a little more than she should have. There was no reason for Gil to be down in the cells with her. But Cassie had eventually discovered that he was merely a watcher, of sorts. He'd only been sent down to make sure she didn't turn into a cat and run, and speaking with her was not a necessity.

However, as time passed Cassie somehow managed to slip into a rather simple conversation with him. Their earlier run-in had helped immensely, since she had a small feeling he wouldn't hurt her unless someone directly told him to, and thus she had no true reason to fear him. Plus, his child-like curiosity and happy-go-lucky attitude toward the entire situation settled her anxiety to a certain degree.

They'd shared small stories. Cassie told him that she lived alone, though she was careful not to specify on the whereabouts, and that she had no other family apart from her estranged father. In return, Gil had told her that he lived with his father, Gaston, and older twin-brothers, Gaston Jr and Gaston the Third.

Only small topics were discussed: Though some in greater detail than others. Favourite colours, for instance. Cassie explained to him that - despite her clothes and fur being black - the colour she adored was magenta, since it reminded her of her fathers furry stripes whenever he was in his feline form. Gil's answer had been orange, though he had no specific reason for it, just that he liked the way it looked on him.

The daughter of the Cheshire Cat had been alone for so long that she'd almost completely forgotten what it was like to have an actual conversation with another human being. Her father's rather abrupt and harsh abandonment had tortured her for so long, and she'd done her best to make sure she never felt that way again. But Gil's sudden appearance in her life, despite the unpleasant and chaotic situation surrounding their meeting, was a rather joyful reminder of the things she'd deprived herself of. In in any other circumstance, she'd consider him a friend, of sorts, but all he could be for her now was a playmate. But even if she was lucky enough to escape Harry's clutches, they wouldn't see each other again. It wasn't fair, but it was _life._

So, until Harry came back down to force something else from her lips, she was going to enjoy this moment with Gil. Even if it meant playing a simple game of 'Red Hands'.

"Okay, so, what do I do now?" she inquired, her dark eyes flickering between her hands and Gil's gaze.

"I put my hands here." Gil placed his own hands directly beneath Cassie's, though instead of his being palms down, as Cassie's were, his faced up. "Now I have to slap the back of your hands, and you have to make sure that don't happen. Got it?"

"I-I think so," she stuttered in reply, her brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of this strange, and seemingly pain inflicting, game. "Are there rules to this?"

He nodded. "Uh-huh. If you flinch or move your hands when I haven't moved mine, I get a free hit."

Cassie nodded in understanding. She knew it would take at least a few attempts for her to understand this thing completely, and she just hoped he wouldn't hit her too hard.

"So, uh, how do we know who wins and who loses?" she asked.

"Uh." Gil rolled his eyes upward for a small moment. "I dunno, you don't. You just go until someone taps out."

Cassie gave a small nod, her eyes wide with slight apprehension. "O-kay."

And so it began. Easy and light, at first. The backs of Cassie's hands only received a small slap that caused nothing but a slight itch. Gil was going easy on her since it was her first time, and she couldn't be more grateful for it. It at least gave her a bit of time to figure out just what she was getting herself into.

However, ss the 'game' wore on, Cassie finally started to see why it was called 'Red Hands'.

With the air down in the cells so cold, her fingers had eventually began to feel the effects. She wasn't shaking just yet, but thanks to the icy temperature in the room her skin was far more sensitive than usual. When Gil's slaps started to get quicker, and with greater force, the backs of her hands became uncomfortably sore, and a small grimace of pain twisted her facial features each time he managed to land a hit.

Thankfully, Cassie managed to get a few on him. But with her arms so awkwardly bent, her speed was somewhat slowed. His hands barely held a mark when compared to hers.

"Okay!" the little cat eventually exclaimed, quickly retracting her arms back into the safety of the cell. "You win."

"Hah, cool!" he yelled with excitement, placing his own hands into his lap. "I never win."

Cassie couldn't help but giggle through her pain, her left hand gently and soothingly stroking the back of her right.

Truthfully, both hands hurt, but her right had taken more punishment than the other, since she'd taken extra caution earlier on to tie the nasty wound decorating her left palm. She'd need a new dress, but at least she wasn't risking any more damage to the already irritated area.

"Who the hell taught you that game?" she wondered, a small part of her harshly judging whoever had thought it a good idea to teach the son of Gaston such a horrid 'game'.

"Harry," was Gil's simple reply.

"Why am I not surprised," she muttered with slight distain.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she assured with a small smile. "So, uh, does he always win?"

"Uh-huh. No one's ever beat him before, and people stopped playing when we got older. More important things to do, I guess."

Cassie sighed as she took note of the rather disheartened tone in his voice, something oddly unfamiliar tugging at her chest.

Gil was a rather odd one to figure out, especially for her, but when Cassie talked to him she soon sussed out just how different he was to the others she'd met on the Isle. Physically, he was every inch a pirate, from the mustard-coloured hat on his head to the thick brown boots on his feet, and she didn't need to play another 'game' with him to know just how strong he was. But his mind was much, much different. Like a child, he enjoyed attention, but not in the way the other guys and girls on the Isle did. For him, it was instant friendship, of sorts. And from what she'd gathered so far no one seemed to want to do these child-like things with him.

She couldn't quite blame any of the pirates for not wanting to indulge Gil's childish tendencies, though. After all, they were all teenagers now, and life on the Isle was everything but 'safe' and 'fun'. They all had their own shit to deal with, and as much as she loathed the pirates right now she wouldn't ever hate them for wanting to get on with their own lives and daily tasks.

"Well, I liked playing with you," she spoke up.

"Really?" he inquired, his utter surprise at her announcement dampening her spirits.

"Yeah," she assured him, a timid, and rather happy, smile tugging at her lips as a wide grin stretched across his face.

"I like playing with you too," he told her. "It just sucks, yah know, since Harry's gonna kill you."

If her good mood hadn't been completely tarnished before, then it certainly was now. Cassie had almost forgotten about Harry and whatever plans he had in mind for her, and Gil's words were a startling reminder of just how much shit she was s _till_ in. She knew she had to find some way to get out of the pirate's territory, but offering her services to Uma wasn't a high guarantee of freedom, and there was no way in hell she was going to follow the Captain's earlier remark and 'get on her knees' for Harry. She had to find another way; A simpler way.

"Yeah, that does suck," the little cat spoke slowly, an over exaggerated sigh of despair passing through her lips. " _But_ I'm sure there's a way for me to get out of here, right?"

Gil stared back at Cassie with utter confusion. "How?"

"I don't know. Maybe you could let me out?" she suggested casually, a small twinge of hope weaving its way through her chest.

"Y-you're asking me to let you escape?" he inquired, sounding hurt and upset that she would ask something so big of him.

Cassie vehemently shook her head. "No!" she exclaimed, attempting to bounce back from the dead-end she'd suddenly run into. "I would never ask you to do that."

 _'Liar.'_

The little cat ignored her inner voice, her eyes rolling skyward as soon as Gil averted his eyes. Of course asking him to let her go was stupid. He wasn't as clever or as quick to catch on as she suspected the others were, but he was loyal, and if she was going on what Uma had told her earlier about the crew, then none of them would eagerly jump at the opportunity to betray their Captain.

"There has to be a way for me to get out of here in the _fair_ way," she implored, quieting her voice. "What do prisoners usually do when a pirate catches them?"

Gil didn't answer right away, and for a small moment Cassie felt her hope slowly dwindling with each passing second. Eventually, though, he answered her.

"There's parley," he muttered, so quiet she barely heard it.

"What's that?"

"You get taken by one of us, you say 'parley', we take you to talk to the Captain."

Cassie sighed. "I've already talked to Uma. Is there another way?"

"Uh," he dragged out the word, eyes rolling once again as he racked his brain for an answer to give her. "Yeah!" he exclaimed loudly, causing the little cat to flinch.

"O-kay," she stuttered, placing a hand to her startled heart. "What is it?"

Gil averted his gaze, his lips pursed as he lightly knocked his knuckles against the wooden floor. He mumbled something, his voice so low that Cassie couldn't even make a single word out. Whatever he was attempting to tell her, he didn't seem quite eager for her to know, and a tiny fraction of Cassie felt a little guilty for pushing him so hard with this.

"Gil, c'mon, you can tell me," she urged, sweetening her tone in a way she hadn't ever had to before.

"Okay, I'll tell you. But you can't tell Harry," he warned, and Cassie nodded her head vigorously.

"I won't tell, I promise."

Gil gave a small sigh and glanced behind him, double-checking to ensure no one was coming down the stairs before he turned back to face her. He scooted forward, dragging his backside against the floor as he came closer toward the bars.

With a slight twinge of anxiety in her stomach, Cassie warily mirrored the blonde pirate in front of her, carefully pressing herself up against the cell as he leaned his head down.

"You can challenge the pirate that took you."

"I...uh," the little cat fumbled over her words as she repeated Gil's reluctant confession. "What?"

"Yeah, I've seen it happen before... once or twice."

"No, I understand... I think. But what do you mean? How do I challenge Harry?"

"Well, um, you have to find something you can both do," he began to explain. "Uma likes to arm wrestle-"

"Are you kidding me?!" she quietly exclaimed, cutting him off mid-explanation. "I can't arm wrestle Harry, have you seen the muscles on that guy?! He'll tear my fricking hand off!"

"No, no, you don't get it. It can be anything. As long as it's just a one-on-one thing, and there _has_ to be someone there to judge and make sure people play fair."

Cassie scoffed. "Fair? On the Isle? Please." She sucked in a breath and began to weave her fingers through her waist-length hair, untangling the knots as she thought. "So, if I wanted to challenge Harry to a game of 'Red Hands'-"

The son of Gaston shook his head violently, his eyes wide with immense warning. "Don't do that."

"Gil, look at me," she demanded, throwing her arms out to the side as she gestured toward her body. "I can't possibly arm-wrestle Harry. And I can't fight him with a sword. I don't know any other game, all I know is the one you taught me. It's my only option to get out alive."

The pirate continuously shook his head, almost rejecting what she was trying to tell him, and Cassie pressed on.

"I can't stay here, Gil," she told him, her head tilting to the side. "My freedom is the one thing I have, the one thing that's _mine._ Can't you understand that?" She lifted her head and took in the four walls caging her in, small tears pooling in the corners of her eyes at the very thought of _this room_ being the last thing she'd ever see.

Gil frowned and stroked the nape of his neck. "I guess," he breathed, a twist of disappointment in his tone. "But Harry's not very fun to play with."

"I know," she said back, moving her shoulders into a small shrug. "And I don't care. If there's a chance I can win and get out of here I should take it, right?" She wasn't really asking for his opinion on the matter. In truth, she was going to go through with this whether he liked it or not. She couldn't give up her freedom; Not for anyone.

"You really wanna do it?" asked Gil, his brows raised with absolute questioning.

"Yeah. I do."

"Alright," he droned, moving around to get to his feet.

"Wait, Gil," she called, using the bars to pull herself up.

"Yup?" he said in reply, looking back over his shoulder as he kept one foot on the bottom step.

"Thank you, for everything." Cassie hoped with every fibre of her being that the blonde-haired pirate knew what she was thanking him for. It wasn't just because he'd given her a fifty/fifty chance of escaping this dreaded cell. He hadn't been forced to show her kindness when she was in her feline form, and neither had anyone told him to speak to her while he was guarding her. All of that he'd done because he wanted to, and Cassie knew with certainty that she wouldn't forget it anytime soon.

Much to Cassie's upset, all Gil did was give her a nod and a small smile with no trace of joy behind it, and continue on up the stairs.

~...~...~

Uma blew a breath of relief as she leaned back against one of the many rickety tables in her mom's Shoppe, her hands moving behind her back to untie the dirty-white apron. She tossed it behind her with a grimace, and sluggishly walked forward, slumping into her 'throne' with a loud grunt. She let her eyes slowly drift closed, a wave of profuse fatigue weighing her down in the chair.

 _'Finally,'_ she thought, the familiar lullaby of the rushing waves just outside of the Shoppe soothing her into a state of relaxation. It didn't matter that she'd been doing this waitressing job since she'd learned to walk. Uma had long-since figured out that every time the place closed, and her crew went home to sleep, she'd get the exact same feeling she did on her first day: A rush of relief and overwhelming joy. Or, at least, as much joy as the daughter of a Sea Witch could have, anyway.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."

The teal-haired Captain opened one eye, her gaze zeroing in on the first mate. He was stretched out above the main counter, his long legs dangling off the edge as he sang - rather offkey - a tune she was very familiar with.

Ever since they'd become friends, and they'd finally learnt to trust the other, Harry always stayed long after the customers had gone. Back in their younger days, she'd questioned it, a small part of her curious to know why he'd want to stick around in the foul-smelling Chip Shoppe when he could just as easily go home to his father's ship. It wasn't until she made the mistake of going to find him one day that she truly found out why.

However, even after he left his violent father and set up home in The Lost Revenge, he continued to stay with her, hanging around her mother's Shoppe until Uma told him otherwise. But at this point in time she simply assumed he was running on routine, staying late into the night or early morning because he was used to it, and it was comfortable for him. Either way, she had no complaints since - more often than not - his presence was always welcome.

"You alright there?" she asked, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Aye," the first mate said in reply, his arms hanging down beside him. "Jus' thinkin'."

"That's a dangerous pastime," she chuckled.

"Ya're preachin' ta the choir here, Cap'."

Uma sighed and got to her feet, moving closer toward Harry. "We need a plan, y'know," she told him, crossing her arms above the table to the right side of his head. "For Cassie."

"Can' we jus' keep 'er locked up for a bit?" he groaned with an exasperated sigh.

"No, we need a plan," she said firmly, glaring down at her first mate even though he couldn't see it. "She's gonna turn into a cat at some point, and it'll be pretty easy for her to get out of here when she does."

Harry reluctantly opened his eyes. "Ya stress too much, Uma. If she does turn back we can jus' catch 'er."

"Have you ever tried to catch a cat?" the Captain said pointedly, and he rolled his eyes.

"'Ave _you_?" he countered, a huff of annoyance flying through his lips as Uma's glare hardened. "Alright, I see yar point."

"Look, someone on this Isle is using magic. They used it to curse Cassie and right now she's our only clue. We keep Cassie locked up, we find the person who put the curse on her daddy, and _maybe_ we convince them to take the barrier down. Got it?" She didn't enjoy using her 'Captain voice' on Harry, especially since she always thought of them as equals, but every so often the situation called for it, and right now she had a much bigger picture in mind than just a silly little cat with father problems. She just had to get that fact through Harry's thick skull.

The first mate nodded. "I understan', Uma, I do." He raised his right hand to gently grasp her wrist, his light eyes keeping steady contact with her dark ones. "I'll figure somethin' out, alright?" It wasn't a good answer, but it was answer nonetheless.

The doors to the Shoppe creaked open, and both Captain and first mate looked back.

"Gil," noted Uma with slight aggravation. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be guarding the prisoner."

"Yeah," the blonde pirate muttered in reply, a small grimace crossing his face as he nervously scratched his cheek. "About that..."

Uma took a step back from Harry, her arms crossed against her chest as she stared hard at her friend. From the corner of her eye she saw Harry sit up straight, the first mate resting his elbows on his thighs as he tilted his head in Gil's direction.

"She, uh...well, she wants to-" Gil stuttered and mumbled the ending of his sentence, his words completely jumbled and inaudible to his friend's ears.

"Speak up, kid," the Captain demanded lightly, the fingers of her left hand raising to soothe her temples.

"She wants to challenge Harry."

The room fell into an awkward and unbearable silence. Uma dropped her hand at Gil's announcement, her brows practically meeting her hairline as a shock of utter astonishment grasped her body. Her jaw dropped, and she swiftly turned her head to see Harry's reaction, a small twinge of fear erupting in her stomach as she saw the large, and highly menacing, grin on his face.

"Harry-"

"Well things jus' got interestin'," the first mate said loudly, interrupting the warning he was sure to receive from his Captain. He jumped down from the table, his boots hitting the floor with a loud _thud_. "What am I bein' challenged too?"

Gil shuffled from foot to foot, his fingers wringing together as Harry stalked forward. "I, uh, well...I showed her one of our games," the son of Gaston admitted, averting his gaze when the hooked pirate stood right in front of him.

"Which one?" inquired Harry, somewhat ignorant to the antsy movements of the boy before him.

"Harry," started Uma, hastily walking forward to grasp his left bicep. "We need her."

Gil twisted the bull ring around his index finger. "I didn't mean to, but we got to talking and she said she never played it before." In true Gil fashion, he was completely misreading this situation. He thought Harry and Uma were mad with him that he'd taught Cassie how to play 'Red Hands', when in reality neither could care less. The little cat knowing one of their 'games' meant absolutely nothing, but to challenge someone like Harry with them... well, it wasn't the smartest decision one could take.

"Gilly boy," the first mate said, moving his head to the side to catch Gil's eyes. "Which. Game?"

Gil's eyes flickered over Harry's shoulder, his gaze meeting Uma's. His reluctance to tell Harry just which game he'd taught the little cat, along with the small twist of fear he tried so hard to translate to her through facial expressions alone, made the Captain's eyes widen comically.

"Gil-"

"Red Hands."

Uma winced as Gil pushed out his answer with - apparently - an insane amount of inner strength. Her warning hadn't even touched him: He'd been too focussed on the red pirate stood way too close to even pay attention to what she was saying. But it didn't matter now; The answer was out.

The silence in the room was quickly demolished, Harry's excited chuckle practically echoing through the empty space.

"Oh, this is wonderful," he exclaimed loudly. "The little kitty wants ta play with me, does she?"

All Gil could seem to do was nod his head, his confirmation enlarging Harry's delighted expression at the revelation. The son of Hook took large steps back, bouncing on his feet as he removed his favourite red coat.

Uma stayed silent, her mind frantically searching for an answer to this sudden predicament. She couldn't stop the challenge. It was a large part of the pirate's code and she wouldn't dare question it. The Captain could only assume Cassie had no idea what she was getting herself into, because if she did know, then she really was insane.

Challenges in the pirate community weren't uncommon. In fact, they were quite the regular occurrence. Especially when two pirates had something against the other. But, usually, these challenges involved swords or fists, and two pirates battling it out until one was forced to concede or - in rare cases - die. The challenges were brutal, bloody, and a bitch to clean. However, their challenges were the easiest ways to settle disputes on this side of the Isle, and when the dual was done it was well and truly done. There was no talk of revenge after, no large groups backing the loser and taking down the winner when their backs were turned. It was done fairly. Or at least as fair as the pirates could manage.

Challenging someone to a game of 'Red Hands', though, was far from normal. It was a kids game, something the younger pirates did to pass the time. Hell, Uma could clearly remember herself playing it with Harry when they were growing up. But it wasn't the thought of Cassie challenging him to a stupid game that had Uma's nerves on edge, it was the fact that the little cat had - rather foolishly - thought she could take on Harry with it after a few small rounds with Gil. Where Gil played simply for the fun of it all, Harry's intentions swayed a little darker.

Uma turned, her frustration rising when she saw Harry sat down at one of the tables she'd _just_ cleaned, his red coat hanging neatly down the back of his chair.

"Go fetch tha little cat," he called out to Gil, the blonde-haired pirate hovering anxiously near the door. As soon as he was given the demand he left, apparently in no way eager to remain in the Shoppe with Harry when he was so... high-spirited.

When Gil was gone, Uma finally let loose, stomping her way over to Harry with a great fire in her dark eyes.

"Uma-"

"No," she spat, her palms coming down on the table with a loud _bang_. "We need her, Harry. You know that. She's our only way to find the person with magic. Don't you get that?!" Her fury was unyielding, her desire to find the spell-caster clashing with the pirate codes she'd willingly engraved into her mind at such a young age.

"This is bigger than that, Uma," the first mate replied. "It's not some little plan, this is _code._ I can' jus' turn 'er challenge away, not even for ya."

They stared each other down for a minute or two, neither pirate blinking at the risk of losing to the other. But in the end, it was Harry who bowed down, reluctantly looking away with a shake of his head.

"We can't let her go, Harry," stressed Uma, her anger lessening as each moment passed. "We need her."

"I tol' ya before an' I'll tell ya again, ya have ta have _faith_ in me Cap'. Have I ever lost a game?" he asked, and Uma shook her head. "No, I 'aven't. I won' lose this one either."

Uma couldn't deny that he made a good point in all of this. He really hadn't ever lost a challenge. But the small chance of Cassie winning the game and gaining her freedom wasn't what concerned Uma, it was Harry's darker impulse to cause as much pain as possible that truly had the Captain so agitated. They _needed_ Cassie alive and well, and if the little cat was missing a hand... well, it certainly wouldn't work in their favour.

"Don't hook her too hard," the teal-haired girl told him, her eyes flickering to the weapon he always kept firmly clenched in his left hand.

"Ya stress too much, Uma," he tutted with a playful smile. "When we win she'll 'ave no choice but to 'elp. An' she won' be able ta run either."

~...~...~

Cassie wasn't too sure how to feel when Gil took her out of the cells. There seemed to be such a mixture of emotions going on that she could barely pin-point the most extreme. First had been relief, that much she knew. A breath of overwhelming gratitude had passed through her lips the moment he unlocked the cell door. But that had only lasted a minute or two, since the moment she stepped a foot out her new 'friend' had stood there with a thick and long piece of rope in his hands, an apologetic look upon his face as he bound her wrists together.

The second thing she'd felt had been nausea, where a sudden bile rose at the back of her throat the moment he walked her out. Whether it was the fact she now knew they'd been keeping her in the poor excuse of a pirate ship, where she could have easily drowned if the rickety piece of wood decided to give way, or if it was the idea that she'd have to cross over that damned bridge again, she wasn't sure. Either way, being this close to the unpredictable waters was severely enlarging her anxiety, and making it that much harder to actually think about what she was doing.

As they got moving, Cassie kept up with Gil's large strides without problem, even though her feelings were spinning into disarray. Whether she wanted to or not, she was going to have to follow the son of Gaston. Mainly because he'd had the good sense to tie her hands. Cassie liked him, but if he hadn't done so she'd have disappeared by now. She was outside, but she wasn't free just yet, and that unsettled her the most.

They passed through the market place, her dark eyes focussing on nothing in particular since she could barely see without the use of her feline senses, and soon turned a corner. Thankfully, this part of the Isle had numerous lanterns, illuminating the path and the large building a few paces ahead.

"A-are you okay?"

Cassie stared at the back of Gil's head. "I guess so," she muttered in reply, though her lack of enthusiasm was rather obvious.

The creaks in the floorboards grew louder, and Cassie looked down, her eyes widening with slight fear as she saw the water moving through the gaps in the wood. She lifted her head quickly, her stomach churning as she attempted to keep contact with the building Gil seemed to be leading her to.

When the blonde-haired pirate stopped, so did she, her curious gaze roaming the outside of the rundown building. There was nothing impressive about it. To her it was just another shitty place on the Isle. The only difference was that this particular place had numerous pirates passed out around its edges, empty glass bottles of something or other held firmly in their hands.

"Here we are," announced Gil, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

Cassie chewed at her bottom lip, her eyes quickly scanning over the large sign above the place. ' _Ursula's fish & chips_' _._

"I shouldn't say it, because Harry would kill me, but good luck," the blonde pirate told her with a small, saddened shrug.

"Thank you," she breathed, though her brows furrowed as he waved his arm as a motion for to go on in front. "You're not coming?"

Gil shook his head. "Nu-uh. I don't like to watch." He ended his sentence with yet another shrug, and then sat down on the step near her feet.

"Gil, what's wrong?" It was more than obvious he was worried about her, and she could clearly see that her urge to leave and go home had upset him, but Cassie could sense that there was more to this situation than he was telling her. After all, he'd taught her 'Red Hands' himself, and though the game was a little painful, it wasn't downright brutal. She couldn't understand why he would much rather stay outside in the fog and eerie silence.

"Harry's not fun to play with," was his simple and mumbled response.

He'd said that to her earlier, in the cells. Cassie had assumed it was because Harry was a cheat, or maybe he slapped a little harder than Gil was comfortable with. Hearing it again, though, was a different thing. It was like there was an underlying warning in what he was telling her, that what he really wanted to say was either a secret, or it scared him so much he _couldn't_ bare to speak it. Whatever it was, she couldn't think too hard on it now. Now she had much bigger things in mind.

"Well," she sighed, taking slow steps toward the entrance. "I guess I'll see you around."

The very moment she pushed the doors open with her bound hands, and came further into the pirate den, Cassie found herself utterly surprised. All in all, she'd expected hollers or yelling, or for the unfamiliar diner to be filled to the brim with pirates, eagerly hanging onto the edge of their seats to watch the challenge between herself and Harry. But there were none. She was greeted by nothing but silence, the creaking beneath her feet the only sound to reach her ears.

"Hello kitty, kitty."

Despite the fact she was severely outnumbered right now, Cassie couldn't withhold the hum of displeasure at Harry's greeting. For whatever reason, he appeared to be sticking with it, and she had no doubts in her mind that this wouldn't be the last time she'd hear it.

"Hook," she greeted curtly, her curious habits restraining her from looking at him until she'd fully analysed her surroundings.

The diner itself was rather... interesting, in its own way. It had numerous tables and chairs, and shelves filled with random objects Cassie had no desire to know the contents of, while messily-scribbled signs hung dangerously from the walls. To her right, she spotted a long table surrounded by high stools, and a dusty T.V. resting on a larger shelf near the main counter. When she looked to her left, she found a decently-sized platform, much like a stage, with a musical instrument quite similar to a piano near the back wall. What made it stick out the most, though, was the obvious tags and signs of pirate territory. There were rather impressive artworks of ships on the wall, the wheels they used to steer pirate ships hung neatly, and countless shells and clams stuck firmly to the walls and beams.

What made it so fascinating to Cassie, though, was the strips of teal and blue fabric dangling down from the ceiling. The shimmering pieces of cloth were highlighted by the small twinkling lights trailing along the ceiling and walls, giving them a beautiful and glowing kind of appearance.

"I see yar likin' tha decoratin'," the first mate noted with mirth.

Cassie blinked and shook her head, the red pirate's voice bringing her back down to earth, and she stumbled to find a retort. "I've seen better." It was a lie; But Harry didn't need to know that.

"Back ta business then," he grunted as he fidgeted in his chair, irritated at the fact she'd been so outright to insult his 'home'.

The little cat nodded, her apprehension heightening as she watched him stand from his chair and slowly come closer. "So you accept, then?" she inquired, mentally praising herself for keeping her voice steady and free of fear.

"Cassie, Cassie," he sang. His tone was admonishing, as though she was a child and he the elder. "Are ya sure ya wanna do this?" Even when he stood a mere foot in front of her, it didn't seem to be close enough for him, and Cassie struggled to keep a straight face as he completely burst her personal bubble once again.

"I am," she stated firmly. She kept her eyes steady with his chest, which was barely covered by the torn, white shirt he wore.

As soon as Harry stopped moving, Cassie's dark eyes flickered up beneath her lashes, a small part of her eager to know what he was feeling or thinking. But her attempts at sussing him out were futile, it seemed, since all he gave her in return was utter indifference. There was no smirk this time, and no large grin to compete with that of her father's. He was completely relaxed and unreadable, and it unsettled her greatly.

The air was stifling, and Cassie's formerly chilled skin began to heat up at the pirate's near proximity. To say she was scared would be an understatement: She was downright terrified. Of his hook, of his strength, of his insanity... everything _._ Every single part of Harry sent her red flags of warning sky-high, and her rational thought yelled at her to run and go home. It was only by some strange means of strength she stayed.

"Ya know," whispered Harry, lifting his hook to draw a thin white line across her throat. "I kind'a like yar persistence, love."

There it was: The side of Harry she'd been anticipating. His silver tongue oozed charm and hidden intentions, each slippery sentence aimed to sway her thoughts and decisions in his favour. He'd obviously done this before, if his complete confidence in this moment was anything to go by, and Cassie silently wondered if any other person had survived his attempts.

 _'Unlikely,'_ she thought, her fingers frantically twisting the edges of her hair. She herself was clever sometimes, and she was far from oblivious or naïve. But even Cassie couldn't deny that if she'd met him in the middle of the Isle - and hadn't seen his wicked ways - she'd be tempted by him. Harry was everything anyone on the Isle wanted in their 'other half', so to speak. But Cassie loved her freedom, and sometimes she enjoyed only having to look out for herself. If she gave into him now, she'd have it all ripped out from underneath her feet, and she _couldn't_ let that happen.

"We could 'ave lots o' fun, you an' me," he said, lightly caressing her cheek with the smooth body of his hook. "I can teach ya everythin' yar dad never did." The grin Cassie was slowly becoming familiar with stretched across his face once again, his eyes darkening as hers grew wide with intrigue. "How ta fight, how to terrify. Whatever ya wanna know, love, I'll teach ya."

The little cat couldn't help but let his overly sweet words into her head. She knew he was playing her somehow, just as he did when she was locked up on the ship, but the part of her that longed to have someone by her side was sneakily taking over, clouding her logical thoughts with ones she hadn't quite thought of before.

"C'mon Cassie," he drawled, bending himself to meet her eyes. "I know ya don' like bein' on yar own, love. I saw it in yar eyes earlier when we had that nice chat." 'Nice' wasn't exactly how she'd put it, but the damned pirate didn't give her enough time to properly recollect their earlier conversation. "I can 'elp ya get outta tha shadows, love. Don' ya want that?" A small pressure came down against her ribs, and when Cassie quickly looked down she found it to be his other hand: The one she'd stupidly made the mistake of ignoring since she found it didn't scare her as much as the other.

A small tightening wound her stomach the second his fingers started to move up, his hard, but not entirely uncomfortable, grip enhancing the odd mixture of emotions he'd suddenly laid out for her.

"I don' care about yar curse, Cassie." Her eyes shot upward at his bold statement, a small wave of sadness wracking her frame at the very mention of her 'problem'. "We can fin' ways around it, I'm sure," he said quietly, raising a single brow in a rather suggestive manner. "Oh, tha things I could teach ya," he groaned, more to himself than to her, but she heard it loud and clear either way.

The hand that Cassie had somehow managed to forget about... again, slithered its way up her sides and around her back, Harry's ring-clad fingers gently stroking the nape of her neck. It was her weak spot as a cat, and whenever the witches even managed to rub it her senses flew straight through the window, all thoughts and inhibitions crumbling to dust the second someone managed to catch her there. Even when she was her normal, human self it still held the same effect. And she absolutely loathed herself now for not keeping a closer watch on the hooked pirate.

Without giving much thought to her mindless actions, Cassie tilted her head back against his still-moving fingers, unsure of whether she should let him continue or not. With her neck bare, and a flush of pink colouring her cheeks, she found her face even closer to Harry's. His grin had dimmed to a simple twitch at the corners of his lips, but his eyes had darkened to the point she had to properly focus to see the blue.

"Say somethin', love," he muttered with a plead, his thumb stroking her jawline as he affectionately nuzzled his nose against hers.

"W-what do you want from me, Harry?" she found the strength to reply, her voice barely a whisper as his actions boiled her brain into a puddle, rendering her unable to form a single, coherent thought.

"I jus' want one thing from ya, Cassie." He ran his tongue across his lips, moving his mouth to hover agonizingly near her ear. " _One thing,_ an' that's it. I'll give ya everythin' an' more after." His voice was quiet and deep, and the hairs along her arms raised as she shivered. "I wanna know who cursed yar dad."

Just like that, the moment was gone. As fast as lightening, Harry had dumped an invisible bucket of ice-cold water over her head, shocking her from the head down. The very second Cassie saw through the sickeningly sweet haze he'd sent her into, she blanched.

The little cat sucked in a large breath of air, her body fuelled with complete outrage. Harry didn't care about her, or how she felt when she was stuck alone at Bargain Castle. All his smooth touches and promising words were done with a very clear goal in mind, and she'd been idiotic enough to let him weave his way into her head.

Purely running on a rush of adrenaline and unwavering anger, Cassie gripped Harry's neck with both hands, her fingernails digging into his skin as she pushed her body away from his. It irritated her how amused he seemed, with the dark glint she'd seen in his eyes back in full swing. He didn't seem surprised she'd figure him out, and she wanted him dead just for that alone.

"I challenge you, Harry Hook, to a game of 'Red Hands'. I win, you let me leave this place. _Alive_."

Harry chuckled tauntingly, unbothered by the death-grip she had on his throat. "An' what do I get when _I_ win, love?" he asked.

" _If_ you win," she breathed, reluctantly releasing her hold on him. "You can have whatever you want from me. Answers included."

* * *

AN;

Hello wonderful readers!

Right, so, this chapter was a bit erratic I suppose. I wanted there to be a friendly kind of moment between Gil and Cassie, mainly because Gil's adorable and needs some spotlight in my stories. And as for the ending...well, I really like writing the Cassie/Harry scenes.

I feel like I should point out that Cassie's dad is based on the 1950's Cheshire Cat in appearance, but I do love the Cheshire Cat in the live-action version so I may try and cross them together, if that makes sense.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

DeansGirl9742; I'm so glad you like my writing, I've been trying to improve it a lot over the years and I still see a few glitches sometimes, so it means a lot that you enjoy it. And I do try and update every four or five days, though it may take longer if I'm particularly stumped on a chapter.

StrawberryNeko7; I'm so happy you liked the chapter! Obviously this is a T+ story, so there will be a lot of hormonal-issues coming into play here. And as for the pirates seeing Cassie turn...well, I'm not sure when that'll appear, but it will be happening eventually.

Arkytior's Song; I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!

Lola Vegas; :D :D :D

X Blue Eyed Demon X; Thank you!

mollichine; I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. And honestly I love writing flirt-Harry, it's weird but kind of fun in a way.

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you thought of this chapter, and also if you have any questions and stuff. And much, much love to everyone who've favourited and Followed also!

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read through.)


	6. We Ride With The Tide

Warnings;

. Angst.  
. Swearing.  
. Bloody Games I guess?

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

For a small moment, everything was deathly quiet. Cassie didn't move... not that she could have if she really wanted to: Her hands were still bound together, after all. But even then, a tiny fraction of her kept her feet firmly planted against the floor. She could only assume it was her reigning stubbornness that kept her there, but she also put it down to the risk of Harry killing her if she even made an attempt to run. There was also the fact that Gil was perched just outside, and Cassie knew full well that if Harry gave the demand, the blonde-haired pirate would toss her over his shoulder and bring her right back into the diner.

Her terms were still being processed, it seemed. Harry hadn't said a word since she made her offer, and she knew he was thinking it over. Truthfully, she thought it a little stupid of her to willingly surrender herself and her secrets, but she had to remind herself that this was more than that. If Harry won then he'd have all of her, including the issues she had securely tied to her shoulders. So while she hated the idea of relinquishing her truths to him, her abilities and 'secrets' couldn't be of much use to any of the pirates, much less Harry himself.

But, if she won this game, then she had her freedom back. She'd be able to home to her den, and she wouldn't be forced to spend another minute in their dreadful cells. Plus, the idea winning something he was so good at... well, it'd surely piss him off, and that idea was much too tempting for her to give it up.

"Ya hear that, Uma?!" the first mate called loudly, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth as he eyed the girl in front of him.

"Oh, I heard."

Cassie frowned, her dark eyes wandering across the room to see the Captain walk in. Uma must have been hiding back there all this time, and the worst thing of all was that she'd most likely heard everything between Cassie and Harry only a few minutes ago.

"I tried to do it yar way," he said with a small shrug, turning to face his Captain.

"Oh, I heard," she replied, a small flicker of disgust crossing her features.

"So," the little cat spoke up, the overwhelming urge to sway them away from the earlier 'occurrence' growing larger with each passing second. "Do you accept?" She looked directly at Harry, though her gaze occasionally flickered toward the smaller girl beside him.

Uma and Harry turned to face each other, having some kind of silent conversation that Cassie could barely stand to watch. She felt uncomfortable in some way, like she'd just walked in on the two doing something much more intimate. Luckily for her, it didn't last long, and soon enough Uma gave Harry a small nod. Although, the disapproval and annoyance the Captain expressed wasn't lost on the little cat.

"I accept." Harry swayed on his feet and walked toward the table he'd been sat against earlier, falling down into the chair. Uma went the same way, though she stayed on her feet and hopped up to sit on the table next to Harry's.

Since they hadn't told her otherwise, Cassie followed the two. When she was close enough, a harsh _screech_ echoed through the diner, and she was quick to intercept the chair Harry kicked toward her legs, a growl forming in her throat as she moved to sit down on the opposite side of him.

"Ya got good reflexes, little kitty," he said with a smirk, shuffling his chair closer to the table. "But are they good enough?"

Cassie rolled her eyes and moved her own chair, resting her elbows atop the table as soon as she was settled in.

"Okay, rules," huffed Uma. "You flinch, Harry wins. You move your hands when he hasn't moved his, Harry wins. And no tricks, either. You move or you don't. Got it?" Cassie gave a small nod. "Good. Now, terms."

" _When_ I win," the first mate said pointedly, his eyes meeting Cassie's. "Ya're mine. I ask ya a question, ya answer. I say jump, ya say how high? Ya belong ta me, an' _only_ me." His dark words had their desired affect, because the moment he finished Cassie was truly debating on whether or not she'd made the right choice in challenging him. If he won, then he held her freedom in his hands until he said otherwise, and Cassie couldn't stomach the thought of what he might do to her when he had free reign.

"Cassie, your terms."

"If I win, you let me leave here alive and unharmed. You don't send the pirates to follow me. You go your way, and I go mine." Cassie's terms were short and simple, and from what she could clearly see the two pirates seemed to accept her terms without a problem. But she also had something else in mind. " _And,_ " she stressed, a small smirk twitching at the corners of her lips when the two gave her curious glances. "I get your necklace."

Their reactions were rather comical to the little cat. Uma's eyes widened in either surprise or outrage, and turned to Harry, her right hand fiddling with the aforementioned pendant as if Cassie was about to take it right then and there. Meanwhile, Harry, much to Cassie's amusement, seemed rather torn between comforting his Captain and slitting Cassie's throat.

"So," the little cat said perkily, resting her chin on her unwounded palm, her eyes bouncing from Captain to first mate. "Do we have a deal?" She could see the hesitation clear in their eyes. "I mean, you _could_ say no. I can go back to my cell, and eventually I'm gonna turn back into a cat, and believe me when I say I'll be gone the minute it happens. You take my deal, I'll tell you who spelled my daddy."

"Deal." It was Uma who accepted the challenge, and Cassie found herself rather astounded to see a flicker of sympathy in Harry's blue eyes when he looked at his Captain.

"Quick question though. How do I know you'll actually stick to your side of the deal? I'm a little outnumbered here, and there's no guarantee you'll actually pay up if I win."

"This isn' just a game, love," snapped Harry. "We're pirates, but we've got honour an' code. Somethin' ya wouldn' know about." Cassie couldn't help but frown at that. "If ya win, ya'll get what ya want."

All in all, it seemed a little too risky to simply take their word for it; Especially Harry's. But Cassie had so much more at stake here than a stupid necklace, and she really had no choice but to play and just hope that - if she did win - they'd stick to their word.

"Alright," she muttered with a shrug. Cassie held up her tied wrists, pointedly eyeing the rope restricting her movements. "Some help?" Uma rolled her eyes and tugged a sharp blade from her belt, swiftly cutting through the binds.

"Harry, glove off," the Captain demanded gently, and the hooked pirate obeyed, removing the black, fingerless glove from his right hand. "Hands down." Harry lowered his right hand to the table, his fingers stretched out against the wood, and Cassie copied his motions. "Hands over."

When Cassie lifted her left - and wounded - hand an inch above Harry's right, her brows immediately furrowed when, instead of his normal left hand, the red pirated held his hook near her right palm.

"Oh, Gilly didn' tell ya?" he wondered with feigned surprise. "I play this game a little differently, love." The dark and manic grin stretching his lips made a small tremor flash through Cassie's small form, and a startling nausea stirred in the back of her throat.

 _'Harry's not fun to play with.'_ Gil's earlier, ominous words rang loud and clear in Cassie's mind, and suddenly everything made sense. He'd been so adamant earlier when she suggested the idea of challenging Harry to this game, firmly warning her _not_ to do that very thing.

"That reminds me," the Captain muttered half-heartedly, quickly fumbling for whatever it was she had in one of her pockets. "Here." Cassie lifted her hand and caught the object that was thrown in her direction, opening up her hand to fully inspect whatever it was.

In appearance, it seemed like an oddly fashioned ring. The band was silver and small, and should easily slot onto Cassie's middle finger. In the centre, though, was a sharp and thin needle of sorts, sticking outward.

"Allow me, love." The little cat didn't have any time at all to fight against Harry, since he quickly snatched the 'ring' from her grasp and took hold of her left hand.

Cassie held her breath and swallowed down the bile in her throat, decidedly taking this moment to gain better control of her anxiety while Harry slid the ring into place.

He kept steady contact with her as he took great, and unneeded, care in slipping the 'ring' onto her middle finger. His gaze was unsettling enough, but the odd sensation of something cool and deadly against her skin only added to it, the weight of how dangerous her situation was becoming slowly coming down on her shoulders.

"There ya go," he informed her, planting yet another soft kiss on her: This time against the back of her knuckles.

Cassie ripped her hand away the moment he released her, as though his very touch burned her skin, and scowled when he merely chuckled at the action. She looked down at the 'ring' before holding her hand out above Harry's, coming to the realisation that this odd weapon was just a way to make this challenge fair. If she won, then the small needle sticking out from her 'ring' would be embedded in Harry's palm. If she lost, Harry's hook would be firmly implanted in hers. This wasn't the game she'd played with Gil earlier, _this_ was a true challenge.

Despite her current hatred for the hooked pirate, she didn't want to hurt him. Cassie had no sick or violent intentions floating around her brain that gave her enjoyment at the expense of others. She'd only scratched Harry earlier because she was scared and cornered, and a little part of her wanted to get that smug expression off of his face. But this was a little much for her.

"You both ready?" asked Uma, glancing between the pirate and the little cat. Harry gave a firm nod in response, but Cassie said nothing. "Cassie?" The girl in question could hear Uma calling her, but the sound of her voice was fuzzy and muddled, Cassie's entire focus locked onto the needle centimetres away from Harry's hand.

Uma came to the realisation quicker than Harry did, but it didn't surprise her any less. The simple fact was that even though Harry had been chasing and tormenting this girl all morning, Cassie was somewhat reluctant to cause him any unnecessary pain.

When Harry came to the conclusion of what was going on, he couldn't help but roll his eyes, and he quickly ran his tongue across his lips before doing the thing he did best... pushing.

"Kitty," he sang, dragging out the word until he - eventually - caught her attention. "If ya don' wanna do this, we understan'." He quickly nodded toward Uma with a flick of his head. "Ya're mine no matter what, ya know. I'm gonna win this game. In fact, I might get ya a nice little red collar ta go aroun' yar neck, jus' ta show everyone who ya belong to."

The rumble of a growl was clear to everyone, and it served as a wonderful announcement that Cassie's mind was back where it should be.

"I'm ready," the little cat declared firmly, lowering her right hand to the table once more. She pushed her humanity to the back of her mind, for now, assuring herself that this was the only way for her to get out. As long as she kept that fact firmly rooted in her mind, there was a good chance she'd beat him at this game.

"Alright, game on."

As soon as Uma gave them the go ahead to begin, the tension in the air grew thick and overbearing. Cassie kept her eyes focussed on Harry's hook, her gaze eagerly awaiting a twitch or movement of some form. Meanwhile, Harry stared at Cassie's face, feeling great amusement to see how hard she was concentrating.

"So, jus' outta simple curiosity, why are ya so dead-set on keepin' yar daddy's curser from us?" he inquired.

"Because it's none of your business," she replied simply, still staring at the hook above her right hand. "Whoever put the curse on my dad is no concern of yours."

Since she was currently playing judge, Uma was unable to voice her thoughts on the matter at hand, but a quick twitch of her head in Cassie's direction was enough to urge Harry to keep going.

"Oh, I don' know about that," he chuckled. "If someone on the Isle has magic, don' ya think we should know about it?"

Cassie's eyes flickered away from his hook, the bewilderment on her face utterly obvious. She didn't know exactly _who_ put the curse on her dad, since he despised discussing it with her and she'd given up on finding out well before he left her, but she knew with certainty that it wasn't anyone on the Isle who'd done so.

When she came to the great conclusion of why they'd kept her alive for so long, Cassie couldn't help but giggle. They thought that someone on the Isle had spelled her dad, and that this 'someone' had magic powerful enough to break down the barrier locking them in. It was entirely amusing to the little cat that they thought that, but she couldn't quite judge them for it, either. After all, her dad had stuck to the shadows just as she did now, and as far as she knew he'd never spoken to anyone else on the Isle. No one but her mother, anyway. The details of her father's curse were hazy. He'd only given her the basics of it all, but she had a great feeling she was the only one who knew about their little 'problem'.

"What's so funny?" pressed Harry.

Cassie lessened her amusement, her giggles fading into a small and knowing smirk. She could easily tell them the truth and put the pirates out of their misery, but why would she? For the time being, her father's 'curser' was the only reason Harry hadn't killed her yet, and she wasn't about to give that up until she was safely from harms way.

"Nothing, nothing," she assured the two. "But I guess you do deserve to know. I guess you just better hope you win."

With the abrupt, and rather hilarious, realisation of why the two pirates had kept her alive securely implanted in her brain, Cassie now had more incentive to win this game. If she won, she didn't have to tell them a damn thing, and chances were she'd be left unharmed purely because they thought she knew something they could use. She could walk right out of this diner and not have to fear for her life again. Not from Uma or Harry, anyway. The little cat had something against them now, and she loved it.

First, though, she had to actually _win._

Cassie kept her eyes on Harry's hook, and made small attempts to wrack her brain for something... anything, that could make Harry act first. She recounted their earlier moment in the cells, and she knew he was just as good at pushing as she was. But her 'chat' with him on the ship was a clear example of how quick he was to act on his anger, especially if she found the right switch.

"So I'm kind'a curious about something," she began, quickly lifting her eyes to Harry's face.

"Curiosity killed tha cat, ya know," he retorted, and Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm still here, so it didn't do a very good job."

"Aye, but for how long?" His threat was said rather playfully, but Cassie could still sense the truth to his words, and she had to fight against the oncoming anxiety once more.

"Your hook," she said, deciding to continue her earlier inquiry instead of firing back with another retort, as she was sure he'd expected. "Why do you wear it? I mean, looks like your hand works just fine. Seems a little... pointless _._ " Cassie knew full well he - most likely - only wore the hook to pay homage to his father. But she had to push him somehow, and this seemed like the best way to do it.

Harry seemed to know exactly what she was up to, but he answered nonetheless. "It represents tha family name, love." His smirk widened as his gaze roamed above her head. "Why do ya wear kitty ears if ya don' need 'em?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. He had here there.

The story of why she wore her 'cat ears' was rather simple. While she was growing up, her father made sure she knew what was wrong with him, and why he could only take her for 'walks' during the evening. One day, when she was only nine years old, she'd mentioned to him that she loved how he was as a cat, and that she wished she had more in common with him sometimes. On her tenth birthday, he'd gift-wrapped a small package, and after some rather violent unwrapping on her part, she'd been utterly overjoyed to find a thin and black headband in the box, with two beautifully crafted cat ears attached to the top. She never knew where he had it made, and she never asked, but she'd worn them every day since.

When he'd left her, she'd been conflicted on whether or not to keep them. In the end, she found that trying to throw them away was more painful than wearing them. So they stayed.

"So your dad gave it to you?" she wondered, swallowing down her sadness as memories of her father drifted into her mind.

Harry chuckled and tilted his head. "Do ya really wanna speak about our dads, love?" It wasn't a question. He was subtly letting her know that if she continued asking about his dad, and possibly the only weakness he had, then he had no problem discussing hers. And even though Cassie needed to push him, she couldn't risk losing her own temper in this situation.

She had to find another way.

"Guess not," she muttered in reply, her lips forming a small pout.

"So, this curse o' yars, what's it like?"

Cassie frowned, a small sigh of exasperation passing through her lips. "What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes coming back to his hook once more. He was going to push, and she had to be ready for it.

"When ya change, what does it feel like?"

The little cat quickly looked up, and found that he seemed genuinely curious about her 'problem. And, after a swift glance at Uma, it appeared the Captain was also just as interested.

For a moment or two, Cassie had an inward debate on whether or not to tell them exactly how it felt when she changed. Only when she realised that it affected them in no way whatsoever, and it was hardly a danger to her if they knew since they had no idea what time the transformation took place, she decided to tell.

"Changing into a cat is easy-ish," she said quietly, her eyes glazing over as she stared at the hook above her palm. "It's like when you're walking and you get nervous, and you swear something bad is about to happen. That's how it starts.

"At first I don't feel anything, just... numb, I guess. Like I'm floating. Then I can't breathe, and it's like someone sucked all the air out of the room, which is more uncomfortable than anything because it lasts... like, a few seconds. After that I don't feel anything, and I don't see anything. It just gets a bit hazy and then I'm a cat." Cassie finished her explanation with a long winded-sigh, an odd sensation of relief buzzing through her body.

Cassie wouldn't dare talk about her dad, or her time-limits, but talking about how it felt when she changed was - in some way - kind of a relief. It seemed as if speaking about it out loud, and with someone else, could take away some of her lingering pain.

"An' when ya change back?" asked Harry, pulling the little cat from her thoughts.

"There's a reason it's called a 'curse', Harry," she said firmly, her suddenly irritated tone letting him know that she wasn't going to tell them anything else about it.

Transforming into a cat was, as she'd told them, easy- _ish_. It happened rather quickly, and she hardly ever had to deal with any lingering after-effects when it was done. But changing into a human was, to put it simply, _hell._ She dreaded the moment every single time she watched the sun go down, her fear greatly conflicting with the joy she experience just knowing she was about to be human again. She could easily blame her father for her torment, but she didn't. After all, it wasn't his fault she'd been cursed; He'd been just as surprised as she was when it happened. So, no, she didn't blame him for that. Cassie blamed the Auradon bastard who'd put the spell on him in the first place.

"Well," she breathed, attempting to shake away the awkwardness clinging to her back. "That got personal." She lifted her eyes and glanced between Harry and Uma, both pirates apparently unbothered by her earlier explanation. "So, you two, not a thing huh?"

"I tol' ya, love, it's a line ya don' cross," said Harry, repeating his words from down in the cells.

"Yeah, I remember. But I don't know, it sure looks like something," she admitted with a raised brow. Truthfully, she was curious about the nature of their relationship. He said they were best friends, and Uma practically confirmed that notion, but now that Cassie was in a room with both of them together... well, she couldn't help but feel like there was more to it.

"I reckon a lot o' people are thinkin' that, love, but we're mates. Nothin' more."

Cassie nodded. "Hmm, okay. But are you friends-friends, or Isle-friends?" she wondered. When both pirates gave her questioning glances, she decided to elaborate further. "Are you friends because you like spending time with each other? Or are you friends for the sake of 'power'."

"Bit o' both I s'pose," the first mate said thoughtfully. "Son of Captain Hook, daughter of Ursula." Cassie noticed the small smile shared between the two, and she quickly stored it in her mind. "An' son of Gaston out there," he said, nodding toward the doors. "Our dads an' mum were great villains back in tha day, an' we're jus' as good... or bad, I guess. Maybe worse."

Cassie couldn't help but feel a slight happiness when Harry made sure to mention Gil, as she knew the blonde-haired pirate would be immensely pleased to know they included him in this partnership. However, the glint of praise Harry held when speaking about Uma, no matter how small, gave Cassie a wonderful - if not slightly suicidal - plan of action.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter knew she couldn't talk about his dad anymore. If she even tried he'd do the same, and she was just as sensitive to the topic as Harry. But Uma was fair game. Cassie didn't have any friends or acquaintances for him to target, so she was good to go on that front. All she really had to do was find a way to slide the subject into their conversation.

"Yah know, I asked Gil to let me go earlier, and he didn't have to think twice about saying no. I don't get this 'friendship' thing, but he seems quite the loyal pirate," she told them. "To both of you. It doesn't seem like he has a bad bone in his body." She sucked in a quiet breath, her nerves on complete edge as she prepared herself to fire - what she hoped was - an anger-inducing shot. "But are _you_ that loyal, Harry?"

Just as she hoped, her ballsy question had its desired affect. Uma didn't say one word, but Cassie hadn't heard her speak since the game started so she simply assumed the 'judge' wasn't allowed to disrupt the game. But Harry... well, the way his brows dropped and he bit down on his bottom lip was a clear sign he'd taken great offense in her inquiry.

"O' course I am," he said firmly.

"I'm only asking because I'm curious, you see. On the ship yesterday you told me it was yours, but if Uma's Captain wouldn't the ship be hers?" Cassie eyed his hook, her assumption that talking about Uma was the best way to get to Harry solidified when she saw his fingers tighten around the handle. "Did you want me to think you were Captain instead?" Her feigned obliviousness to what she was trying to accuse him of worked well with Harry, but Uma seemed to notice what she was doing right away.

Harry didn't look at Uma once, and maybe if he had he'd have noticed her wide-eyed stare, or how she was practically begging him with her expression alone to not take the bait Cassie was throwing out. Harry's entire being was focussed on the little cat, his anger locking him in on her and her alone. Cassie had all of his attention; As long as she kept pushing.

"Don't get me wrong, it makes sense. Your dad's a Captain, of course people would assume you're one too." Cassie wrinkled her nose to give him the impression she was thinking. "Huh, I wonder how he felt about that. Yah know, you not being a Captain like him, I mean."

The hooked pirate was practically trembling by the end of her sentence, his lips twisting as he ground his teeth together. Her plan was working, but it wasn't working well enough. She had to find something to truly make him snap.

"It explains a lot about you, yah know. You walk around with your hook, acting like people should worship the ground you walk on and be scared to death of having to go against you. When really you're just a scared little boy playing pirate. Tic-Toc wouldn't give you the time of day like he did your dad, and you're following your best friend's orders." Cassie licked her lips and lowered her voice, a tauntingly sympathetic smile playing at her lips. "Face it Harry, you'll always be second best."

Things had been moving slow before, but the moment she finally twisted her knife and played on the insecurities she only guessed he had, everything kicked into high gear.

Harry was fast, and he was good. If Cassie hadn't been paying extra attention to his left hand, and hadn't seen the noticeable movement of his fingers before he gripped the handle tighter, she wouldn't have moved her hand in time. But she had seen it, and her right hand was retracted a mere second before Harry's hook came down on the table.

The deafening _bang_ shocked all three of them. Uma's eyes grew even wider than before, her jaw dropping the moment his hook dug firmly into the table. Harry's expression of overwhelming rage remained, his breaths loud and strained as he stared at the spot Cassie's hand _should_ have been. And Cassie, despite being tremendously shaken by the fact she'd almost been pinned to the table, took her moment the second she saw an opening.

With a strength she didn't know she had, Cassie quickly lifted her left hand and brought it down onto Harry's palm. She could feel the disgusting pressure against her fingers as the needle penetrated his skin, sinking further into him until it met the wood of the table.

The sickness in her stomach was instantaneous, and a grimace crossed her features as she ripped her eyes away from the damage she'd done. Instead, she looked at Uma, the devastation on the teal-haired Captains face almost too much for Cassie to bear.

"I win."

~...~...~

The walk home was quiet and slow, Cassie's movements sluggish from everything she'd endured today. Instead of taking the path, she climbed up onto the rooftops, her distracted mind entirely focussed on getting home as quickly as possible.

The little cat sniffled and raised her arm, using the sleeve of her dress to rub away the tears falling from her eyes. She didn't know exactly why she was so emotional: A part of her assumed it was mainly due to relief. After all, there had been a very slim chance of her winning against Harry and leaving pirate territory, and maybe the very fact she'd done so was much too overwhelming. But she knew deep, deep down there was something else. Something she hadn't ever felt before and didn't know how to deal with now.

Guilt was an odd thing on the Isle. It was barely ever felt, since the majority of the villains locked up on the island prison held no sympathy for all the people they'd tormented in Auradon, and in true villainous fashion they taught their children the same thing. Everyone was proud of their accomplished deeds, though some more than others, and the only thing people thought twice about was the violent acts that led to their capture and eventual arrest. Cassie had heard it more than she cared for, usually by a raging Maleficent, screaming about all the things she could have done to kill Sleeping Beauty and all the ways she could have avoided being subdued.

For Cassie, guilt had never been a reigning problem. She'd never given a second thought about all the Isle-dwellers she'd taken things from, mainly since she always assumed the worst of others. The minute she arrived home she'd forget all about them, her mind entirely occupied by the beautiful thing she'd managed to bring back to her 'den'. But leaving Ursula's diner tonight had been quite the task. An awful and unsettling sensation had wound its way through the little cat's entire form as she walked out with her 'special thing'. She didn't know why she felt like she did, since Harry and Uma obviously didn't give two shits about her, but she felt it anyway. And she _hated_ it.

When Bargain Castle eventually came into her sights, Cassie sighed in audible relief. She carefully climbed down from the roof she'd been on, her feet and hands following their familiar path until she firmly landed on the ground.

She made the exhausted trek up the metal stairs and toward Mal's balcony, taking great caution as she shimmied along the thick piece of wood up to her 'perch'.

For a small moment, she stayed in place, her legs swinging lightly through the air as she overlooked the darkness of the Isle. It was still early in the morning, and usually she'd still be running around looking for her 'special thing'. But she already had what she needed, and the fear of almost having her freedom ripped away was still lingering in the pit of her stomach.

Cassie inhaled and exhaled slow and reassuring breaths, her eyes gently closing as she made small attempts to calm her frazzled nerves.

 _'You're home. You're safe. You're alive.'_ She repeated the mantra in her head until it firmly stuck, but even then the awful sensation and thoughts of what might have happened wouldn't leave her. If Harry had won, she'd most likely be in the cells right now. She'd have given up the answers he and his Captain longed to know, and that very answer might have led to her demise the moment they realised they had no use for her. Either that, or Harry would have kept her alive, tormenting and torturing her in every way he wanted until he got bored.

But _she'd_ won. By some miracle, her pushing had worked, and she'd gotten away with everything they promised her.

 _'Barely,'_ her mind reminded her, and Cassie grimaced, her fingers immediately smoothing over the skin of her neck. It was still so sore, and she had no doubts she'd be bruised by tomorrow night, a painful reminder of just how horrible things could have gone.

 _"I win." Her voice was barely audible, her words nothing more than a whisper. But in that moment, with all three still coming to terms with exactly what had happened, her statement seemed like more of a shout._

 _Cassie's voice broke Harry out of whatever state of astonishment he'd been in. In mere seconds, he tore his eyes away from his hook, still imbedded in the wood of the table, and his furious gaze moved to her. His left hand released the death-grip he'd had on the handle of the weapon, his arm surged forward, and his fingers gripped her throat._

 _The little cat went into a state of panic almost instantly. The hand that wasn't still attached to Harry's by the 'ring' grasped at his arm, and Cassie dug her fingernails into his skin until thick droplets of blood coated her nails, and his arm. However, it didn't bother him in the slightest, he didn't even seem like he felt it, and that truly terrified her._

 _"Harry!" yelled Uma, jumping down from the table she'd been sat on to take hold of the pirate's arm. "She won, okay? The challenge is done." Even though the Captain was far from content at the fact Cassie had won the game, they lived by the pirate code, and she knew full well that - even though his rage was all he could see right now - Harry would be kicking himself all night if he got too carried away with Cassie._

 _"I don' give a shite," the first mate spat, his digits tightening painfully around the little cat's throat._

 _"You live by the code, Harry. You taught me everything about it, remember?" the Captain pointed out, taking great note of the way Cassie's breaths began to slow. "As your Captain, I'm telling you to stand down. Now!"_

 _Harry stared back at Uma, his mind greatly conflicted. Cassie had pushed him with things she really shouldn't have, and for that she had to go. But Uma was right. They lived by their codes, and prided themselves on following them. If he killed the little cat now he'd never forgive himself for it._

 _With his mind made up, Harry reluctantly released Cassie, her wheezing breaths and coughs practically music to his sadistic ears._

 _"I should let him kill you, y'know," said Uma, her palms holding onto the edge of the table as she leaned down to stare into the little cat's eyes. "You deserve it," she spat, eyeing Cassie with as much distain as she could summon. "But we made a deal. And that's the only reason you're going home tonight."_

 _Cassie nodded, her right hand gently soothing her currently aching and sore throat. "Got it," she breathed, her voice scratchy and painful._

 _"Now, get. Out. And don't let me catch you around these parts again," the teal-haired girl whispered darkly, slowly leaning back from Cassie to instead stand behind Harry, her fingers gently kneading his left shoulder._

 _With another nod, Cassie quickly removed her left hand, pulling the needle out of Harry's palm before she ripped the ring from her finger, throwing the bloody tool on top of the table._

 _She would have gone straight out the door, and she would have gone straight home, but a small recollection of her terms before the start of the game sneakily floated back into her head._

 _"Actually, there was another part of our deal," she announced, her arms crossing beneath her breasts as she faced the two pirates._

 _At their stares of confusion, Cassie eyed Uma's pendant pointedly, her brows raising._

 _'Suicidal bitch,' her mind muttered disapprovingly, and Cassie ignored it. It was obvious enough that they took their word seriously, and she was going home whether they liked it or not. But she hadn't forgotten about the very thing that landed her in this mess in the first place, and despite her earlier fear at nearly being strangled to death, her - apparently life-threatening - itch won over. She hadn't forgotten why she'd been thrown head-first into deep shit, and there was no way in Hades she was going home empty handed again._

 _"Deal's a deal," the Captain muttered sadly, her hesitant fingers moving to undo the clasp behind her neck. It was almost painful to watch, and Cassie had to truly refrain from speaking up and letting Uma keep her treasure. After all, the Captain hadn't hurt her at all... Harry had. But from the obvious glimmer of guilt and sympathy in his blue eyes, Cassie could tell this was as hard for him as it was for Uma, and somehow this made taking the Captain's necklace all the more easier._

 _"Ya can' take it," the first mate cried out, slamming his fist against the table as he stared at the little cat. "Uma didn' do fuck all ta ya."_

 _Cassie frowned. He made a very good point there. She didn't know pirates, but she'd seen how cruel people on the Isle were. They prayed on weakness and 'feelings', and she could only assume these pirates were exactly the same. She had to go against her nature and follow through with this, because if she didn't they'd know. They'd know how scared she really was, they'd know that she wasn't as 'evil' as everyone else and that she had - if just a little - kindness in her heart. Kindness was a weakness on the Isle, and she couldn't afford to show them any more of her weaknesses._

 _"Deal's a deal, remember?" she told him, her voice so cold and indifferent that it worried even her. But it had to be done._

 _"Ya're a right bitch, Cassie. An' it's a wonder yar daddy didn' leave ya sooner," he spat._

 _Cassie released a small and humourless giggle. "You wanna know what the worst part is?" He didn't answer, but she kept going anyway. "If you hadn't snapped and put your hands on me like that, I might have let her keep it." It wasn't true, obviously. She would've walked out with her 'special thing' either way, but the urge to hurt him was too great._

 _"You're the one that took me to the cells, Harry. And you're the one that accepted my challenge when you didn't have to. This isn't my fault," she said with a small shake of her head. "This is your fault."_

 _If looks could well and truly kill, Cassie knew she'd be at the bottom of the ocean by now. Harry stared at her with so much hatred and outrage, and if she didn't have their word she'd be absolutely terrified. But he couldn't do anything to her, and he knew it._

 _"Here." Cassie turned away from the pirate attempting to murder her with his eyes, and instead faced the Uma. "Just... take it," she pleaded. She held out the beautiful charm in her hand, her head turned away to avoid seeing the pendant in Cassie's possession._

 _Cassie quickly took the necklace in her hands. Partly because a selfish part of her wanted to see just how pretty this 'special thing' was. But a smaller, understanding part of her knew it'd only cause Uma more pain if she took her time._

 _"Guess I should be headin' out," the little cat muttered as a goodbye, the pendant firmly clasped between her fingers as she turned toward the door. "Later."_

 _"Wait!"_

 _Cassie swiftly turned, and faced the pirate who'd called her. "Yes?" she wondered with slight impatience, her body practically begging her to just go home and sleep._

 _Harry got to his feet, kicking his chair back as he went, and yanked his hook from the table with a loud grunt. He stormed toward the little cat, somehow oblivious to the dripping wounds she'd caused him, a look of fierce determination on his features._

 _Cassie backed away instantly, the shadowy sensation of his hand around her throat still as strong as it had been when he'd actually tried to kill her. She didn't trust him, and she had to be careful._

 _"Ya liked this, didn' ya?" he asked her breathlessly, his wounded hand pulling at the pocket watch around his neck. "I'll trade ya. Uma's necklace, for my watch." It was a strange thing, to see Harry begging her, and if Cassie was being honest with herself she kind of enjoyed it._

 _The idea of taking the pocket watch... again, was tempting. After all, it had been the thing to get her into this mess, and a tiny fraction of her longed to take it home. But she had a point to prove now. If Harry wanted to fuck around with her emotions, and taunt her so freely, then she'd do the same._

 _"Hmm," she sounded, her eyes narrowing in on the beautiful object around his neck. She took a rather courageous step forward and fingered the pretty charm, the beautiful, golden shine now somewhat dampened by Harry's blood. "Nah." Cassie turned away from him again, determined that that was her final word, and headed for the doors._

 _"Cassie," he growled loudly, and she paused, turning around to face him. "Ya can' take tha necklace, love."_

 _Cassie sighed and looked back at Uma. The teal-haired Captain was sat down in the space Harry had once occupied, her face hidden in her hands. The necklace Cassie now held must have been of great importance for Uma to be so careless in showing her devastation when it was taken away, but just as the little cat always thought, the pretty and personal things were always the most special to her._

 _Cassie couldn't withhold the small flicker of pity, and neither could she ignore the sudden and unwelcome pang of sadness. There was a very good reason she loathed sticking around after she'd taken her 'special things', and that was purely because of the reactions some had when parted with their beloved objects. Some got angry, though that was an obvious reaction to realising you'd had something taken from you, but sadness was always a risk with her 'targets', and it always played with her understanding side. So she took and she left, her mind always far more occupied in returning to Bargain Castle and playing with her 'special thing' than worrying over the pain of others._

 _Harry saw the moment as soon as she gave it, and he was quick to grasp the opportunity. "Cassie, ya don' have ta do this."_

 _"Of course I do," she snapped. "You brought me here, and you locked me in that cage. You could have let me go with your little watch and if you had then none of this would've happened. You made me do this. And now you get to stay here and watch what happens when you fuck up."_

 _"If ya want tha watch then fuckin' take it," he bellowed._

 _"I. Don't. Want. It," she said firmly. "This," she lifted the necklace in her hands for him to see, "means something to her. I take this, I hurt her. I hurt her, I hurt you. Get it?"_

 _Harry huffed and glowered down at the little cat, finally understanding exactly why she was being so cruel to Uma. "There has ta be somethin' ya want more, somethin' o' mine. Whatever it is, take it. But give 'er tha necklace back," he pleaded._

 _The little cat could only shake her head in response. She had no desire to take the watch from him anymore: Not now that she had something much more meaningful. There was nothing Harry had on him right now that could make her hand over the necklace, and the word 'no' was right on the tip of her tongue. But her eyes, that had been thoughtfully flickering about the room, found a target._

 _One that would cause just as much pain if she took it._

 _"There is one thing," she whispered hesitantly, two sides warring in her mind over whether or not she should take the object she'd spotted._

 _"Anythin'." Harry sighed with obvious relief, his shoulders drooping as he looked down at Cassie._

 _"Anything?" she repeated loudly, and he nodded his head. "Something of hers for something of yours, deal?" By now, it was more than obvious these pirates took their deals seriously, and if she was going to do this - again - she had to be sure Harry gave her his word._

 _"Aye, deal," he said hurriedly, holding out his right hand for Uma's pendant._

 _A small and faint smirk tugged at Cassie's mouth, and she hovered the necklace an inch above Harry's hand. At the same moment, she held out her right, her index finger pointing to the very object she desired._

 _"Hand it over, Hook."_

Cassie gnawed at her bottom lip and slowly lifted her left hand, her dark eyes carefully analysing the pain-inflicting object she now had in her 'collection'. She gently smoothed her fingers over the silver, gleaming body of the hook, a small hiss passing through her lips as she accidentally caught the tip of her middle finger on it's point. It might not be the prettiest thing she had, and Uma's necklace had won by a mile in physical appearance, but the hook meant so much more to Harry, and now she knew with certainty that she'd well and truly hurt him.

"I win."

~...~...~

Uma made her way back into the dining area of her mom's shoppe, a large, glass bottle of rum held firmly in her right hand. She decided to forgo the cups for tonight, knowing full well her first mate would much rather drink this down straight from the bottle. She didn't agree with it, and if she could she'd order him to go home and sleep everything off, but that just wasn't an option tonight. _Tonight,_ he deserved this. It was the least she could do for him.

When the teal-haired Captain strolled into the dining area, she found Harry in the exact same place she'd left him. He sat at the same table where his and Cassie's challenge took place, his head resting on his right palm, while the fingernails on his left hand carved messy lines into the wood. He didn't speak, and he didn't move, his face utterly void of any emotion she could think of as his eyes glazed over with thought.

Uma liked to think she could deal with a lot of things from Harry. Blind rage, where he yelled and destroyed anything or anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way. Rare vulnerability, where he shared _way_ too much with her while drowned in a drunken stupor of some form. If he had it in him, she could deal with it with a clear head. But _this Harry,_ the one who gave absolutely nothing to her and instead chose to wallow himself in whatever emotion he was feeling at the time, she found the hardest.

With a small grumble of dejection, Uma warily dropped down into the chair beside him, and lowered the bottle onto the table. It wasn't too surprising when he - instead of muttering a small 'thanks' - snatched the bottle from the table and sucked down large gulps of fiery liquid.

"Say something, Harry," she pleaded, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair.

The first mate inhaled a large breath as he pulled the rim away from his lips, his tongue swiftly cleaning up any trace of the alcohol as he lowered his head to face her. "What d'ya wan' me ta say? Ya got yar necklace back, didn' ya?" he said gruffly, his fingers tightening around the neck of the bottle.

"Yeah, I did," she whispered, gently smoothing the shell-shaped charm now back in its rightful place. "But it cost you."

"Deal's a deal, Uma," he pointed out with a humourless chuckle.

"She's not gonna get away with this," the Captain stated firmly, a painful sting of slight helplessness washing through her as she eyed his left, and now empty, hand. The rest of him was still, but his usually-hooked hand was constantly moving, his digits so used to having their familiar handle within arms reach. He wasn't feeling anything right now but he would tomorrow, and Uma knew full well what was coming when he woke up in the morning.

"An' how do we do that, eh?" he wondered with clear doubt. "We don' know where the fuck she lives, an' she hasn' got any friends for us ta talk to either. She's a shadow, Uma. A sneaky, slippery little shadow." Harry raised the bottle to his lips again, swallowing a few more large gulps.

"You're right, she doesn't have any friends. But _we_ do, Harry. With the traitors gone we own the Isle now, and everyone who lives on it." Uma leaned forward and held his wrist, her eyes meeting his own. "We'll find her, Harry, I promise."

"An' when we do?" he inquired, also moving until their faces were centimetres apart. He wasn't just asking what they were going to do with Cassie, he was asking if they really still needed her anymore. After all, she'd gotten away with the answers they needed, and those particular answers were somewhat beneficial to Uma getting them all off the Isle.

" _She_ made this personal, Harry. When we find her, and trust me we will, you'll get your hook back. And you can do whatever you want with her. We'll find another way out of this fucking prison." At her approval, Harry's familiar grin of madness stretched back onto his face.

"We ride with tha tide, Captain."

* * *

AN;

Hello wonderful readers!

Okay, so, this chapter was kind of dark, I guess. But Cassie won! Not that it's a good thing of course. And I do feel like Harry was a little OOC in regards to Cassie taking Uma's necklace, but it's kind of obvious in the movies he adores Uma, and I feel like there's a good chance he'd do anything for her.

Review Acknowledgement Time!

StrawberryNeko7; I've actually never played the 'Red Hands' game before, but I heard it somewhere and I thought it would be a good idea to introduce it into the story. It kind of shows how twisted things are on the Isle, even when it comes to a children's game, but obviously in this chapter Harry plays it a little differently. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Arkytior's Song; Honestly, I love Gil. He's such a little puppy, and seriously innocent when compared to everyone else on the Isle. And I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Lola Vegas; :D :D

mollichine; It's not a bad thing to want Harry to win. This game was going to go one of two ways, and I genuinely considered the idea of Harry winning this game. But I decided to do something else and make things a little more interesting.

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And much love to everyone who've favourited and followed!

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through.)


	7. Family Comes First

Warnings;

. Angst.  
. Swearing.  
. Teen Pregnancy/Motherhood.  
. Implied Matricide.  
. Mentions of self-harm.  
. Mentions of child abuse.  
. Chloroform use? I don't know people, this chapter's pretty erratic is all I can say.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

No more than an hour after her transformation back into a human, Cassie reluctantly wandered through the dark alleyways of the inner Isle. She stayed close to her usual safe-routes, her heartbeat raising at every noise that sounded even remotely close to someone approaching. She was on high alert tonight, her normal human senses much more sensitive tonight than they'd ever been.

A loud _clink_ echoed through the usually silent street, and Cassie flinched, her footsteps slowing significantly as she kept moving. She couldn't stop: Not for anyone or anything. She just couldn't take that risk.

It had been a very, very long time since she'd felt so terrified when travelling around the Isle at night. Usually she was level-headed, her light feet barely making a sound as she snuck around each corner and over miscellaneous, and stupidly placed, objects. She longed to travel back in time, only to a mere week ago, before she'd truly put her life in danger. But that wouldn't, and couldn't, happen. For the first time in four years, the Isle was no longer her playground, and she couldn't seem to reclaim the confidence she usually held when traipsing through the streets. _Now,_ everything was different. And it was all _her_ fault.

Cassie tried hard to keep her breaths calm. The air passed through her lips in a thick mist, and her poor excuse of a cloak was barely keeping her warm. She swiftly reached up with her hands and readjusted the hood hanging over her head, making sure the thin fabric covered her ears. She couldn't risk anyone seeing her and running off to tell the pirates. All she had to do was make it to her destination quietly and safely, and hope to whoever was listening that no one saw her.

The little cat turned out of the alleyway, a small sigh of relief escaping her when she saw the slightly familiar sign, faintly illuminated by the numerous and colourful tea-lights connected by the rooftops.

 _'Queen of Heart's Salon'._

The lights on the sign weren't switched on, but Cassie could clearly see a glow behind the blood-red curtains covering the 'windows'. Someone was inside. But would it be the _right_ one?

With an overwhelming amount of inner strength, Cassie pulled down on the door handle, taking careful steps as she peeked around the edge of the door. She couldn't see anyone inside, but if the lights were on then surely someone was home.

"Hello?" she called out, her dark eyes darting about the oddly clean salon. She waited a moment or two for a reply, but when there was none, she made the decision to walk further into the large room, and softly closed the door behind her.

Cassie had never been a huge fan of taking good care of her looks. Her hair had never been cut or dyed, and she loathed the idea of someone coming anywhere near her with a make-up brush, so she really had no idea what a salon should look like. But if she _had_ to venture a guess, then the very room she now stood in would be a perfect example.

The walls were striped with colours of red and black, the freshly mopped floor designed to look like a chessboard. Along the right wall, three large mirrors were lined, small wooden shelves filled with something or other placed neatly below. The chairs in front of the mirrors were also black, though Cassie could see the noticeable rips and white marks damaging the fabric. The wall on her left had long and yellow tinted shelves, all packed with disturbingly crafted mannequin heads, each holding a different wig of a different kind, though each one had been made and brushed to absolute perfection and style. The outside of the salon was just like any other building on the Isle, with it's chipped paint and usual vandalism sprayed across the wall. But the inside was well and truly beautiful.

Despite the freezing weather outside, the salon was an absolute furnace, and Cassie couldn't help but pull down her hood. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as a displeasing odour filling her nostrils. She didn't know what it was, but it burned, and with each breath she took Cassie could practically taste it on her tongue.

"We're closed."

Cassie flinched and turned away from the décor, her dark eyes widening as she suddenly noticed the presence of another.

"Uh," The little cat dragged out her sentence, somewhat thrown to be facing down the daughter of her fathers 'enemy'. "Hi," she muttered dumbly.

"O.M.G," the unknown girl gasped, her red-painted lips stretching into a large and surprised smile. "I've heard about you," she said with a light giggle, one of her perfectly-shaped brows lifting as she slowly scrutinized Cassie from head to toe.

Cassie grimaced. "You and everyone else."

It had been two days since her 'challenge' with Harry, and two days since she'd foolishly decided to take his beloved hook home for her collection. But somehow, in that very short span of time, the once-hooked pirate had spread the word about Cassie, threatening, beating and forcing any information he could out of the Isle residents in the hope that someone would know where to find her. He hadn't yet, and now more than ever she felt eternally grateful for the fact she hadn't decided to go and 'make friends' after her father left. But Harry was relentless in his search, and he was taking no prisoners to secure the location of his hook. It was only a matter of time before he eventually managed to catch her, and Cassie had to stretch her time as far as possible.

Which brought her to this current predicament. Coming to the Queen of Heart's salon had never been on her 'to-do' list. However, during her feline state Cassie had caught on to a few whispers here and there, homeless men and women in the streets gossiping about the price on her head if they delivered her to Harry. It was during this time Cassie had been astonished to find out that someone in this salon had information on the little cat, and they were willing to share... for the right amount.

"So," the girl sang loudly, her thick-heeled boots making a faint _thud_ on the floor as she moved in closer. "What can I do for you, daughter of the Cheshire Cat?"

"Word on the street is that someone in this salon has info' on me, something they're willing to give to Harry," she explained, her clammy hands clasped together in front of her.

"And you wanna know who it is?" the girl wondered, leaning the left side of her body against one of the chairs, her fingernails drumming against the fabric in a rhythmic motion.

"No," objected Cassie, and the other girl's brows raised in slight surprise. "I wanna know what they know." She didn't care who knew anything about her. All she wanted to know was what information they had, and how useful it would be to Harry.

The Queen of Heart's daughter came forward, a devilish grin on her pretty face. "How important is it to you?" she inquired, her heels making her a lot taller than Cassie, and thus even more threatening than before.

Cassie had heard of the Queen of Hearts, typically from her father. From what she'd been told, the woman was old and rather large in size, and had the temper and immaturity of a ten year-old. She had a fondness for chess, croquet, and cutting off people's heads when she didn't get her way. All in all, the queen herself didn't sound truly frightening, but Cassie had done her best to steer clear of the woman, her father warning her that he'd pulled a few little tricks on the queen and that any reminder of him would set her off.

So, when Cassie heard the Queen of Hearts had produced a daughter during her time on the Isle, _this_ girl was most certainly not what she'd expected. Clear and unblemished ivory skin, thick dark-brown curls piled into a messy ponytail atop her head, lashes long and make-up done oh so perfectly. Instead of an extravagant dress, as Cassie had assumed she'd wear, the Heart girl donned a thin, red bralette, her breasts barely held in by the material. Her skin-tight black jeans were ripped at the knees, though Cassie guessed it was intentional, and highlighted every curve her body made. Black, thick-heeled boot-heels covered her feet, and to top off the look she wore a red choker around her neck, a heart-shaped red stone with a tiny golden crown the centrepiece of her jewellery.

Truthfully, it was like seeing a female version of Harry Hook himself. Beautiful and alluring in appearance, but surrounded by a glow of dangerous energy.

"Does it matter?" the little cat finally muttered in reply. "What are you charging for it?"

The Heart girl hummed, her eyes rolling skyward as she thought. "What are you offering?"

Cassie wasted no time in untying the small pouch from around her waist, her movements done with utter haste. "This." She pulled the small pouch open and withdrew the item she'd spent the previous night digging through her 'collection' for, a small smirk of satisfaction weaving its way onto her face as the Heart girl's eyes lit up in obvious wonder.

"Where did you..." her words trailed off into a small sigh, her fingers coming forward to touch the gorgeous charm bracelet.

"Ah, ah, ah." Cassie tutted, pointedly placing the bracelet back into her pouch. "You tell me what I wanna know, I give it to you. Deal?" At Cassie's offer, the Heart girl's eyes narrowed, a twinge of pink dusting her cheeks as she inhaled deeply through her nostrils. Her brown eyes flickered wildly between the little cat's face and the small pouch she had in her hands.

"I guess that's fair," the Heart girl replied, a forced smile tugging at her lips. "Why don't we take this out back?" She quickly waved her hand toward the shimmering, red-coloured curtain hanging down from the doorway near the back of the salon.

"Why can't we just stay in here?" the little cat asked quickly, her dark eyes eyeing the doorway with great suspicion. She'd only just met the Heart girl, and from what her father had told her the Hearts weren't good people, nor could they be trusted. Cassie had no clue what could be behind the curtain, and she'd much rather stay in the main area of the salon, and closer to her only exit.

"You're not the only weirdo who likes running around at night," the Heart girl remarked, strolling toward the front door. "I can't risk anyone breaking in." She quickly pulled open the door and leaned out for a moment or two, and Cassie could only assume she was inspecting the outside to make sure the street was empty.

The Heart girl soon came back in, and she fiddled with the lock on the door. "You can see in the dark, right?" Before Cassie could even come up with a snarky reply, the room fell into darkness, the only source of light coming from the back room.

Cassie chewed at her bottom lip, still rooted in her spot until the Heart girl walked by, her hips swaying as she pushed back the curtain and entered the back room. With no other option, the little cat reluctantly followed.

When Cassie pushed aside the curtain, and walked into the room, she was pleasantly surprised to see no threat of any kind. Just a medium-sized and rickety wooden table near the right wall with two questionable chairs pushed up against it. It differed greatly from the well-decorated salon she'd only just stepped out of, the bricks in the walls clear, and creaking floorboards beneath her feet.

"The name's Helena, by the way," the Heart girl informed Cassie, her form soon disappearing behind yet another curtain.

Cassie sighed and took a seat near the table, patiently waiting for Helena to return. She rested her hands on top of the table, taking a quick and half-hearted glance about the room. Apart from the curtain Helena had just gone through, Cassie could see no other rooms. Though there was a darkened and spiralling staircase near the left side, leading up to somewhere or other.

A faint, melodic humming travelled from behind the curtain, and Cassie ceased her current investigation on the small room she was sat in. She frowned as she stared at the curtain, her brows furrowed as the tune continued. She couldn't see anything from where she was sat, and she resisted the urge to take a peek at the risk of being caught and thrown out.

The audible sound of Helena's boots against the hard floor became clear, and Cassie pushed herself back in her chair as the Heart girl came back into the room, a small attempt at making it seem as though she didn't care what was behind that curtain.

"You know," began Helena, settling herself in the chair opposite of Cassie's, her back straight as she crossed one leg over the other in perfect form. "I wasn't sure what to believe when people said the Cheshire Cat had a daughter." She gave a small giggle and raised her right hand, twirling one of her dark curls around her index finger. "I didn't think he had it in him."

"What? To have a kid?" the little cat grumbled, mentally wondering just how long Helena was about to drag out the simplicities. She just wanted to find out what the Heart girl knew, and then get home. But snapping right off the bat wouldn't do her any favours so - for now - she had to indulge the other girl in this boring topic of conversation.

"To raise one," the other girl corrected. "From what momma told me, he was kind'a selfish. Always looking out for number one, so to speak. Makes one wonder what kind of daddy he is."

"Was," the little cat corrected thoughtlessly, a small frown of displeasure sliding onto her face as she realised her mistake.

"Oh," the Heart girl said with a drawn out breath, a flicker of understanding crossing her features. "Daddy bailed, huh?" Cassie pouted and turned her head away, not quite in the mood to deal with someone else taunting her about her 'daddy issues', as Harry had once put it. "Hey, I get it," assured Helena. "My mom bailed on us too, not too long ago." The word 'us' sent a small shiver of uncertainty down Cassie's spine, and her dark eyes glanced towards the red curtain in the blink of an eye, much too quick for Helena to even notice.

"This place is yours then?" inquired Cassie. "I thought it belonged to the Queen."

"Oh pussycat." Helena laughed, apparently amused by Cassie's obvious confusion. "My momma's dead. The stupid bitch kicked the bucket about a year ago. _I'm_ the Queen of Hearts now." From the dark glint in Helena's eyes, Cassie knew with utter certainty that there was more to this story than she was being told, but for now she had to push it to the back of her mind.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say your dad's not around either?" she assumed, trying her best to steer the conversation away from the uncomfortable, and sinister, chat about Helena's mothers demise.

The Heart girl rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, he's still here." At the little cat's worrying glance, Helena spoke up once again. "He's not a threat, _believe me._ " The groan she gave as she muttered those two last words gave Cassie the impression the King was a lot less villainous than the now-deceased Queen, so she let her worries slide.

"So," muttered Cassie. "About this information?"

"Oh, right," the dark-haired girl exclaimed, apparently having forgotten about the entire reason Cassie had come to the salon in the first place. "I don't have any."

"You wanna say that again?"

Helena pursed her lips and leaned forward. "I. Don't. Have. Any." She gave a small shrug and moved back in her chair. "I lied. I do that sometimes, by the way."

The Cheshire Cat's daughter paused, her brows raised with utter disbelief as she stared at the Heart girl. "Uh...y-you." She fought hard to find a comprehendible reply, but her head was somewhat fucked. She'd put her life on the line coming to this salon, even carrying on with her suicidal plan knowing full well how much bad blood there was between her dad and the Queen of Hearts. So to now find out that she'd done it for absolutely no reason... well, it certainly didn't sit well with the little cat.

Cassie could have been at home right now, curled up in her blankets nice and warm, and attempting to relax herself enough to sleep. But she wasn't. Instead, she'd dragged her ass out of her only safe-place and walked out into the dangerous Isle streets just to make sure Harry didn't find out anything about her.

And it was all for nothing.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" she yelled incredulously, too annoyed to care about anyone in the building overhearing her and coming to investigate.

Helena's eyes widened, and she looked back over her shoulder at the red curtain. "Would you shut up?" she whispered, her calm demeanour slipping away as soon as Cassie's voice raised.

"N-no," the little cat stammered. "Do you have any idea what'll happen if Harry finds me?! I only came here to see what you knew about me, but you don't know anything!"

"Pussycat, I'm gonna need you to shut up," seethed Helena, her voice hushed as she - once again - looked back at the curtain.

When Cassie opened her mouth to yell another obscenity of some form, she found her voice muffled and inaudible, the Heart girl's hand held firmly against her mouth. Cassie's hands immediately grasped at Helena's wrist with every intention of ripping the girl's hand away, but she halted her actions when she felt an uncomfortable sting against the side of her neck.

"Okay pussycat, time to listen," the Queen whispered dangerously, lowering her face until they were a hair's breadth away. In response, and without the use of her words, Cassie could only nod, now unnervingly aware of the knife held to her skin. "You talk to me like that again, and I'll take your fucking head off. Got it?" Cassie nodded once more. "Good." With that said, Helena smoothly slid back into her chair, her knife retracting from Cassie's throat.

There was a pause, the awkwardness of the moment still hanging over Cassie like a cloud, but then she spoke. "A little drastic, don't you think?" she said quietly, her fingertips feeling at her neck.

"Well I didn't get my _good looks_ from my mom, now did I?" snarked Helena.

Cassie replied with a deadpan expression and a small eyebrow raise. _'No shit.'_ She winced and pulled back her fingers, her lips twitching downward into a frown as she saw the specks of blood.

"It's just a nick," the Queen grumbled, pulling a dirty-white handkerchief from her pocket. "Here." Cassie rolled her eyes and took the cloth, dabbing her small wound.

"So why did you say you have information if you don't?" she inquired.

"When the Core Four left, Uma tagged the Isle. Maleficent used to keep the stores safe as long as we payed up, but now she's gone too. And after the riot the other night..." Helena gave a small, saddened sigh. "I don't know. I can't just wait for the pirates to come around and start asking for money. I have to speed the process up a little, and I thought mentioning you would do the trick."

Cassie could only partly understand the girl's reasoning. The little cat didn't have to protect her home from anyone, since no one knew about her 'crawl-space'. She just had to take care of herself. She had no idea how business ran on the Isle, or how difficult it was to keep their buildings safe and untouched. Helena obviously had a very good excuse for doing what she did, but it didn't lessen Cassie's annoyance.

"Can I have the bracelet now?" asked Helena, nodding toward the pouch in Cassie's right hand.

Cassie's eyes travelled to the object in question. "You didn't give me anything worth this," she pointed out, and the Heart girl glared in response. " _But,_ I'll give it to you if you tell me one thing."

"What's that?" the Queen wondered sceptically.

"I'll give you the bracelet, if you tell me what you're hiding behind that curtain."

"Why?"

Cassie shrugged. "I'm curious, I guess. Now, do we have a deal?" Before meeting the pirates, deals hadn't been a big part of her life, but now it felt like she was doing this more than she was happy with.

Helena didn't reply right away. She wordlessly got to her feet and moved to stand directly in front of Cassie, her brown eyes slowly travelling over the little cat's form, while she twirled her dark her with a much faster speed than before. It was obvious she was thinking about Cassie's offer, but her scrutinizing gaze was looking for something on the little cat. What it was, Cassie wasn't sure.

"You even think about hurting him, I'll gouge your eyes out." With that terrifying threat said, Helena carefully travelled toward the curtain. "You coming or what?" Cassie stood, her unwavering curiosity demanding that she follow the Heart girl into the little room. So she did.

The room was quite dark, bathed in faint candle light, and Cassie struggled to adjust to the sudden change. Apparently, Helena was used to it, since she moved through the room with great ease, her feet taking her toward something near the furthest wall.

"Come see, but be very quiet," the Queen warned, her whispered voice barely clear to Cassie's human ears.

The little cat nodded and did as asked, the task of keeping her footsteps light an all too familiar thing for her. She silently crept towards the divider screen, keeping whatever was behind it hidden from her curious eyes. But when she eventually stood beside Helena, and looked down at what the Queen gazed at so fondly, she couldn't withhold a small gasp.

"Holy shit."

Cassie always assumed the worst of the Isle and it's residents. It made doing what she did much easier when she just thought bad of everyone. So it was no surprise that her mind immediately thought of some vicious brute of a being sleeping in the room behind the curtain. However, the truth of it was far from terrifying.

"His name is Gilzean," whispered Helena, her hands gently placed on top of the edge of the wooden crib. "I named him after his Uncle."

Cassie could hear Helena, but she couldn't quite _hear_ her. She hadn't ever seen a baby before, and her head was still reeling from the startling sight. It certainly explained why Helena had been so violently adamant on her keeping her voice down earlier. The Heart girl hadn't been trying to shut her up because she was annoyed with Cassie's attitude, though that could have been part of the reason. No, she'd shut Cassie up so the little cat didn't wake the tot trying to get some sleep.

"How old is he?" the little cat asked, her gaze turning to Helena.

"Just over a year."

"And how old are you?"

Helena smiled. "I'm eighteen."

Cassie's jaw dropped, her dark eyes looking down at the black-haired baby. Helena was only two years older than her, and she was a mother. It wasn't too hard a thing to digest, since the Heart girl was absolutely beautiful, and the idea of one of the many villain children running around the Isle choosing her as their 'partner' was easily believable. But they were all still teenagers. Teenagers living in a prison they weren't even supposed to be in.

"And his dad?" the little cat inquired hesitantly.

"He swings by every now and again," the Queen replied simply, somehow unbothered by the fact her child's father wasn't a constant in their lives. "His uncle comes 'round every day though. He's so good with him, and he always makes sure we're doing okay." The overwhelming adoration in Helena's eyes when she looked at her son, paired with the gentleness and - dare Cassie say it - _love,_ when she spoke of her son's uncle was so different to the indifference and danger she'd seen in the Heart girl only moments ago. And it completely bewildered her.

"That bracelet you've got, it's _his._ " Helena gestured down to the baby. "I had it made 'bout a year ago, before he popped out. Some guy took it from me."

"And I took it from him," the little cat mumbled thoughtfully. She reached down into the pouch and withdrew the small, golden bracelet. From the gleaming and red heart-shaped gems decorating the tiny piece of jewellery, she'd guessed it somehow belonged to the Hearts. But she hadn't even thought about how much significance it held.

Special things with personal meaning did tempt her more than others, but Cassie couldn't keep this now. It was a gift from a mother to her little son. Parents on the Isle hardly ever gave two shits about their offspring, their twisted and dark minds forbid them to do so. So when someone did go through all the trouble to have something made for their child, it wasn't something to be taken lightly. No matter how small the bracelet was, it was so much more than a simple piece of jewellery. When baby-Gilzean got older, it would probably mean just as much to him as Cassie's cat-ears meant to her.

 _'And what Harry's hook means to him,'_ her inner voice pointed out, causing a large pang of guilt to flood Cassie's body.

"Is it hard?" the little cat wondered, swallowing down the lump of emotion in her throat.

"What? Being a mom?" the Queen questioned, and Cassie nodded. "Sometimes. I mean, I'm running a fricking salon out there, and I get tired. But he comes first. Family always comes first."

"You get help though, right? With his uncle?"

Helena smiled and nodded. "Oh yeah, Uncle Gil always takes care of us." With her mind somewhat clouded, it took Cassie more than a minute for her to catch on to what Helena had said, but when she did, an unsettling tightness tugged at her stomach.

"Wait-" Cassie's sentence was instantly put to a stop when she felt a hard force against her right side, her body quickly meeting the hard floor with a painful _bang_. Her mind raced and she tried to right herself, a wave of utter panic settling in when she felt her arms being pinned to the floor.

"Sorry pussycat," the Queen of Hearts muttered with strained breaths, her knees digging into Cassie's inner elbows. She pulled out a thick cloth and doused it with something Cassie couldn't recognize, and she had no time at all to question what it was, since the cloth was soon held firmly over her nose and mouth.

Cassie didn't know what the substance was, nor did she care to know at the moment. Whatever it was, it smelt sharp and tasted bitter, and the little cat fought to close her mouth and hold her breath in the hopes it wouldn't have the desired affect. If she didn't take it in, she didn't lose herself, and maybe she could live to fight a little while longer.

"Stop fighting it, kitty," the Heart girl told her. "This'll all be over soon." Helena said it as if it would be a welcomed reassurance to the little cat, when in reality it pushed Cassie to fight harder.

It could have been seconds, or it could have been minutes, but eventually Cassie couldn't hold her breath any longer. Her mouth flew open as she sucked in a large breath, the air only reaching her lungs in small doses. The Heart girl's hold was tight and unyielding, and instead of clean air, Cassie inhaled the sickening chemicals pouring from the rag.

The little cat's vision began to blur, her eyes blinking in and out of focus as her movements halted. A small teardrop slid down the side of her face, a silent sob breaking through the rag as an overwhelming fatigue wrapped around her small body. She was so, so tired.

"There you go, pussycat," the Queen said calmly. "I didn't wanna do this, but we have to get off this Isle. And like I said, family comes first."

~...~...~

The very second Cassie went into a state of deep slumber, Helena quickly removed the rag from her face and shoved it into the back pocket of her jeans. With a small huff, she leaned back and stood at her full height, holding her breath for a moment as she looked back over her shoulder to take a small peek into Gilzean's crib.

Even though the slight scuffle she'd had with the little pussycat had been done with haste, she couldn't help but worry that - at the loud noise she made when her body hit the ground - Cassie had somehow woken up the sleeping baby. But Helena's worries were soon put to rest when her son gave a small snort, nuzzling his head into the thick, red blanket he had wrapped around him. He hadn't woken up, and he was safe.

 _'He's fine,'_ the Queen of Hearts reassured herself in her mind, her eyes closing for a moment as she released a large breath of relief.

With the welcome assurance that her son was still sleeping, Helena could now fully focus on the task at hand. She hadn't been forced to use her knock-out drug in a good while, but she still remembered the effects as clear as she did back then. Cassie would only be asleep for twenty minutes at the most, which meant Helena had to tie her down _now._

The Queen slid around to stand behind the little pussycat's head, and she bent down, her fingers wrapping around the little cat's wrists. With a small groan, she dragged Cassie out of the back room, through the dinner room, and back into the salon, thanking Hades that the little pussycat didn't weigh an absolute ton like the last one.

Getting Cassie up onto one of her salon chairs wasn't that hard either. It appeared that tossing her son into the air during their playtime, and carrying around the heavy boxes of supplies for her salon when Gil wasn't available, had strengthened her arms. One quick hoist and the little cat was up on the chair, her head lulling back against the headrest.

Helena took a quick look at Cassie and sighed, the hidden and motherly urges only reserved for her son and Gil nagging away at the back of her mind. The little cat was barely a teenager, and from the looks of things she wasn't as well-fed as a girl her age should be. She was all alone, too, with no one but herself to rely on in this horrible place.

"Nope," the Queen muttered in objection, forcing herself to grab the length of thick rope Gil had given to her the night before. She knelt down and tied both of the little cat's ankles to the legs of the chair, then doing the same with Cassie's wrists on the armrests.

The plan between herself and the pirates had been simple. They'd obviously had no luck in finding the Cheshire Cat's daughter on their own, and so - at the request of Gil - they'd come to her. After all, she'd been born and raised in the centre of the Isle, and as another Wonderlandian herself the pirates had naturally assumed she'd be a great help in their search for the little cat. But Helena hadn't even known the Cheshire Cat was on the Isle, and she'd been utterly astounded to find out he'd gone and had a daughter.

When she'd blatantly informed the pirates she had no idea who the girl was, and that she hadn't ever seen her during her years on the Isle, they'd been... disheartened, to say the least. But the moment Gil told her about the curse, and that someone on the Isle had spelled Cassie somehow, she'd been rather open to negotiations. If she succeeded in helping them, they had to protect her and Gilzean and - if the moment ever came - she'd be the first to get off the Isle with them.

Truth be told, she'd had no way of knowing if Cassie would take the bait or not. Helena had had no sure way of knowing exactly what would draw the little thing out of hiding, and she was honestly surprised at how fast the little cat had come to her.

Working in a salon was one of the best ways to find the truth on the Isle. After all, doing someone's hair or nails was a rather boring task, and they never questioned the idea of her throwing small questions their way as she worked. The very moment one of her usual's had come through discussing the sudden appearance of pirates in the centre of the Isle, Helena had set her 'little' plan in motion. She'd been very obvious and unusually loud when telling the woman she had information on the Cheshire Cat's daughter, knowing full well the women waiting, along with any loiterers outside the salon, would hear every single word.

Getting Cassie to the salon had been the hard part, but getting her into the dinner room and drugging her had been way too easy. For whatever reason, the little cat must have been pretty desperate to find out what Helena knew, especially since she'd been so quick to come to the home of her father's old 'enemy'.

Helena lightly rubbed at her eyes and moved away from the tied up pussycat, quickly staring at herself in one of the mirrors to ensure her mascara hadn't smudged. Once she was done, she stepped back and slouched down into the seat beside the sleeping cat, her eyelids blinking slowly as she fought away an oncoming fatigue.

Life on the Isle for the villain children was hardly glamorous. Most were disowned by their parents as soon as they reached double-digits, the young offspring apparently too much of a nuisance for the notorious parents to handle. Although, those children were - more often than not - the kids of the side-kicks of the well-known villains: The ones whose lives meant absolutely nothing on the Isle. It was a sad fact to handle, but there were more homeless children than adults running around on the Isle streets, usually bundling up together in numbers of five or more in an effort to stay safe.

Then there was the other half. The villain children whose parents were somewhat infamous for all the cruelty, attempted murders, and other violent acts of revenge they'd carried out over in Auradon. _These_ children were raised by whichever villain their parent was, sent away to one of the three schools on the Isle and taught everything it meant to be a _true_ villain. They were also dubbed the 'privileged' of the Isle.

Helena had always been somewhat proud of her name. If anyone ever gave her trouble on the streets, all she had to do was tell them who her mother was, and even the strongest ruffians would go running with their tails between their legs. But her name would always remind her of her mother, and that in itself was a curse of some kind.

The former Queen of Hearts had been a ruthless woman, even to her own daughter. As a baby, Helena's father had been the one to tend to her needs, since her mother was almost always out doing something or other. Until the age of nine, she'd been taught everything by her father. How to read, how to speak, how to walk, and how everything on the Isle worked. He was a kind man, and Helena always wondered how he'd wound up with someone as insane and unappealing as the Queen of Hearts. But her dad was also a bit of a pushover, and it took Helena a good few years to come to the startling realisation that he was absolutely terrified of upsetting her mother.

When Helena got a little older, her mother had started to take notice. The hour before bed, usually spent by practicing her reading, was replaced with her being forced to repeat the rules of being a princess. If she got them right, she was allowed to read with her father, but if she got them wrong she was forbidden from seeing her dad for two nights, and she had to start from the beginning until she - eventually - did recount the rules without error. Hours were spent re-learning how to speak, how to sit, how to walk, and even how to eat. Every single thing her father had proudly taught her how to do was ripped to pieces and stitched back together with her mother's way, with the psychotic woman constantly screaming that if Helena didn't get it right then she'd 'take her head'.

By her sixteenth birthday, Helena was - in her mothers eyes at least - every bit the perfect princess. She wore lovely dresses, the most elegant jewellery, and her skin and hair had always been pinched and primped to her mother's satisfaction. She and her mother took slow walks around the block, the Queen of Hearts delighted to show off her wonderful daughter to the Isle residents. But keeping up appearances was much harder than it looked. Helena always had to stay silent and do as her mother asked, and when the rare moment came where she did something her mother didn't approve of, a harsh beating with the broomstick was a painful reminder of exactly why she obediently followed her mom around. That was also around the same time she discovered the wonderful power of make-up.

Every day she spent with her mother, Helena had been a mere shell of a person. Physically, she was fine. After all, a smile could hide a thousand secrets. But underneath all those layers of dress and thick foundation she was utterly broken. Her mind had been warped and twisted, the parts of her body that were hidden beneath her dress littered with bruises and cuts, the latter of which had been mostly self inflicted. Her mind and soul had been dying, and it'd been slowly taking her body with it.

It was only a few months after her sixteenth that Helena snapped. After yet another long and draining day of playing chess with her mom, and going through the usual routines, she'd stayed up a little later than usual. That night she'd gone down into the kitchen to get a glass of water, and her mother's bellowing voice from the dinner room had echoed through the entire building.

 _"There's something wrong with her!" her mother had screamed. "Something she's doing is wrong!"_

 _"She's done everything you taught her, dear," her father had replied. "What could she be doing wrong?"_

 _"I don't know! Maybe...she needs to read the rules again. Or she needs to be taught another lesson. I am the only Queen on this dreaded Isle, and I'd rather take my own head than see my daughter lose to that blue-haired brat!"_

The 'blue-haired-brat', as her mother had so kindly put it, had been Queen Grimhilde's fourteen year-old daughter, Evie. Helena had only ever seen her in passing, their mothers sharing pleasantries but glaring daggers as soon as the other had turned. The two bitter Queen's had been in constant competition since their arrival on the Isle, and when Maleficent herself had chosen to associate with Queen Grimhilde instead of the Queen of Hearts, the woman had been absolutely outraged. It seemed that, to her mother at least, their abilities at ruling and their royal appearances meant everything, and the wretched Queen had absolutely no idea that it was their dark thoughts and actions that mattered on the Isle.

When Helena heard her mother's words that night, everything had somehow come to light in a dark and brutal way. Everything she'd been put through by her mother, and every single hardship she'd ever endured, had been for the sake of a simple and ongoing competition with another Queen. Nothing she'd ever done had been good enough, and in that single second every moment she'd received a surprise 'lesson' made sense, since the harsh punishments always seemed to make an appearance on the day they'd run into Queen Grimhilde and little Evie.

Whether it was the thought that she was about to receive another punishment, or the painful realisation that she'd been nothing more than a 'show-cat' for a good portion of her life, Helena hadn't been sure. Something had struck her that night, and she'd made the stupid decision of leaving her home.

A repetitive _thud_ rang loud in the salon, and Helena jumped, her eyes flying open as she looked toward the door. She'd been on the verge of falling asleep, it seemed, since her limbs swiftly protested any movement she made as she dragged herself to the door. The only slim relief she had was knowing that once the pirates were done, and they were gone from her salon, she could take Gilzean upstairs and _finally_ get a few hours of sleep.

Helena tugged down on the door handle, her mood brightening as she saw Gil stood on the other side of the door.

"Hey!" he greeted joyfully, scooping her up from the floor and into a tight hug.

"Gil," the Queen of Hearts muttered with audible relief, her arms firmly latching around his neck as he carried her further into the salon.

Gil lowered her feet to the floor, and Helena pulled back, her arms unwinding though her hands still held his shoulders. "Is he up?" the son of Gaston inquired, a small twinge of excitement wound into his voice.

"He's _sleeping,_ " she informed him, her brow raised pointedly. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't wake him up, again." The blonde-haired teenager gave a small sigh of disappointment, his facial features then twisting into a small grimace of knowing.

"Teeth?"

Helena nodded with an amused smile. "Teeth." If her beautiful little boy had been sleeping well through the night, she'd have been more than happy for Gil to wake him up for a bit of 'play-time'. But Gilzean's baby teeth were still coming through, and he often woke numerous times through the night, the pain in his gums causing him great distress. With nothing to take his pain away, Helena had to simply cuddle her little one and let him gnaw away at her knuckle, a task that could take either an hour or more, and left them both exhausted by the time it had passed.

"As adorable as this is," a deep and obnoxious voice said from behind Gil. "Can we jus' get ta tha good bit?" Helena rolled her eyes and took a step back from Gil, her eyes manoeuvring around the blonde boy to see his 'friend'.

"Take it easy, Hook." Her brown eyes hardened, her lips tugged downward into a frown as she stared at the large pirate boy before her. She'd never say it to Gil, but the son of Hook unnerved her, and she didn't trust him one bit.

"Aww, don' need ta be like that, love," he said teasingly, his blue eyes roaming her form appreciatively. "I'm jus' playin'."

Helena wrinkled her nose, her own eyes giving him a quick scan. "That's nice," she spat, quickly turning on her heels, her long and dark tresses smacking across the red pirates cheek as she moved.

The Queen of Hearts took hold of the headrest and slowly twirled the chair, exposing the little cat to the two pirates. "This the girl?"

Oddly enough, their reactions were on opposite sides of the spectrum. Harry was blatantly pleased, his constant smirk growing into a large, and possible pain inflicting, grin. He gave a small chuckle as he took a step forward, his eyes lit up in sadistic excitement as he leaned over to further inspect the sleeping cat. However, Gil didn't look happy... far from it, in fact. Usually he followed his Captain and Harry, showing happiness or joy at the same time they did. But now he seemed - to Helena anyway - devastated.

"Aye, ya did well, princess," said Harry, standing to his full height.

"Queen, actually," she corrected him tersely, a small flush of anger rising to her cheeks as the pirate gave nothing but another laugh in response to her scold.

"My apologies, yar highness," he mocked, ignoring her harsh glare in favour of looking at the little pussycat. "How long's she gonna be sleepin'?" he inquired, using his right hand to turn her face from side to side.

"Not sure," the Queen said with a small shrug, resting her back against the wall. "I could try and wake her up bu-" Helena paused abruptly as Harry quickly pulled back his left arm, the back of his hand delivering a hard smack to the little cat's face.

Within seconds, Helena retracted a sharp and small knife from the hem of her jeans and pressed it against Harry's throat. She kept the pressure with her right hand, using her left to push him back a few paces.

"Hel'," called Gil, warily shuffling from foot to foot as his wide eyes bounced from first mate to Queen.

"Try that again and I'll take your fucking head off. Understood?" she seethed, her brown eyes staring deep into Harry's.

"What do ya care, eh?" he wondered, his hands raised on either side of his head. He swallowed and took a quick glance down, knowing full well that without the use of his hook, he wouldn't be able to get her before she got him. "Ya don' even know 'er."

Helena was many things, and she had her faults, but she couldn't stand to see someone vulnerable and unable to fight back being subjected to such brutality. She didn't know Cassie, that much was true, but without a valid reason there was no way in hell she was about to stand and watch someone hurt her. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right; And it certainly wasn't happening in _her_ fucking salon.

"Understood?" she repeated, louder this time. She put more force in her grip, the knife cutting into the pirates skin.

"Aye," snapped Harry.

Their tense moment was cut short when a faint groan came from behind Helena. All three turned their heads, and Helena pulled her knife away from Harry to instead squat down in front of the waking cat.

"Pussycat," the Queen whispered gently, delicately smoothing away the loose strands of mousey-brown hair that'd fallen into Cassie's face. "C'mon kitty." The little cat could only moan in reply, and Helena quickly looked over her shoulder. "Gil, get the bucket." The blonde-haired boy moved without question, and he quickly brought over the small bucket used for remnants of cut hair.

Helena took the bucket from Gil with a small 'thanks', and she moved to stand beside the little cat instead of directly in front. She lowered the bucket onto the floor, between the little one's tied legs, knowing full well a large spray of vomit would release itself from Cassie's mouth the moment she came to her senses.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter wasn't entirely sure what to think. There seemed to be so many different things going on with her that it was hard to focus on just one. The most obvious of all, though, was the unbearable ache in her head, like someone had gripped the sides of her brain and slowly started to squeeze. Her eyelids felt heavy, and a large dose of saliva filled up her mouth, her tingling tongue moving it to the back of her throat as she pressed her lips together. She couldn't feel her legs or arms, and for a small moment she had to wonder if she'd undergone the transformation while asleep.

Cassie blinked owlishly, her eyes itching terribly as she forced her head upright. Her line of sight was blurred, and with a large groan of pain she let her head fall back as her eyes clamped shut again.

"C'mon pussycat, it's time to wake up."

Cassie could hear someone calling her, and the voice was oddly familiar, but she couldn't find the will to listen to them.

"No," she grumbled, her words jumbled and incoherent as they passed through her dry lips. She quickly moistened them with her tongue, repeating the same word again.

The voice didn't say anything again, but Cassie could clearly hear footsteps and hushed tones. They were talking about her, but she couldn't really find any fucks to give at the moment. She just wanted to sleep.

"Wakey, wakey little kitty."

 _That_ voice she knew.

Cassie raised her head again, though with a much faster speed, and her dark eyes flew open. Thankfully, her eyesight had cleared, and the blurry shapes she'd seen before were now three and very distinctive people.

The little cat's mind filled with thoughts and occurrences, each memory replaying itself one by one until she finally realised exactly where she was, and what had happened.

She remembered coming to the Queen of Heart's salon with the intention of finding out who had information about her. She remembered meeting the Queen's daughter, Helena, who was somehow now the current Queen of Hearts. There had definitely been a baby. Her mind was foggy and her memories choppy, but the unwavering fear she'd gone through when pinned down by Helena stood out the most, along with the bitter taste of whatever was in that bottle tainting her taste buds.

Cassie paled. She'd been so worried and in such a rush to find out who knew something about her that she hadn't even stopped to think that this might have been some kind of plan. Although, her head had been somewhat frazzled since the night she'd left the pirate ship, and her lack of sleep also made an irritating contribution to her idiotic actions. But she still should have thought it over instead of running straight into the net.

"You," she breathed, staring directly at the Heart girl stood next to her.

"Sorry pussycat," the Queen said with a small wince, though she seemed far from apologetic. "I have to get my son off this Isle."

For a moment, Cassie was utterly confused as to what the Heart girl was implying. The only way off the Isle was to break through the barrier, and to do so one would need an infinite amount of magic. Cassie didn't have magic. The only thing she had that could even be classed as such was her curse. There was no such thing as true magic on the Isle, and the very fact that Helena was trying to rationalise her actions by assuming Cassie knew of someone with so much power was simply moronic.

However, though Cassie's mind was tampered and slowed from the chemicals she'd inhaled how ever long ago, it still managed to put the pieces together. And when it did, the little cat's gaze fearfully turned to Harry.

"You told her about my curse?" she whispered.

"Aye," he replied, taking slow steps forward. "I told 'er someone on the Isle spelled ya, an' that someone on the Isle 'ad magic. We came ta a...deal, of sorts." His movements were halted when - much to Cassie's bewilderment - Helena moved away from her side, the knife she'd once held to Cassie's throat now aimed at the son of Hook.

Cassie averted her eyes, her mind racing as an uncomfortable churning sensation started in her stomach. She'd almost forgotten that she hadn't told the pirates exactly who spelled her father, and now it was coming back to bite her in the ass. If Harry had told Helena about her curse, and that someone on the Isle had magic, then who else had he told?

"Did you tell anyone else?" she wondered, a thick lump of bile slowly growing in the back of her throat.

"Not yet," he answered, and she gave an audible sigh of relief. "But I will if ya don' tell me yarself," he threatened, a dangerous smirk growing on his face. "Think about it, little kitty. Everyone on the Isle would be lookin' for ya." A great tremor of panic slid along her skin and Cassie jolted, her panic turning into alarm as she finally took note of the rope around her wrists.

"Just tell us, pussycat," implored Helena, lowering herself to crouch down to Cassie's height. "Spare yourself the pain."

In truth, a large part of Cassie's mind begged her to just tell them. If they knew no one from the Isle spelled her dad, and that it was someone from Auradon, they'd no longer see the need to keep her tied up. However, it also meant Cassie would lose the only thing keeping her alive at the moment. For the time being, the only reason Harry hadn't killed her yet was because he thought she knew someone who could break down the barrier, and until he thought otherwise she wasn't going anywhere. Besides, even if the red pirate did lose his temper and decide he'd rather see her dead than get off the Isle, he'd told Helena, which meant the little cat was now much more useful to someone else. After all, Helena, for whatever reason, loved her little baby, and she wouldn't have knocked Cassie out if she doubted Harry's words. There was no way in Hades the Heart girl was going to let her only chance at giving her son a way off the dreaded Isle die.

Despite the current notion that she held more power than any of them, Cassie still felt the nausea, and she barely had enough time to move before everything she'd eaten that day came out of her mouth in spurts.

"Oh, that's grim." Harry's remark flew straight over her head, since the little cat was much too busy puking into a well-placed bucket between her legs.

Cassie felt her hair being loosely held behind her head, and though a small fraction of her was confused, she couldn't ignore how grateful she was. Vomiting into a bucket, while securely tied to a salon chair, as the three people who'd put her in that unfortunate situation watched, was embarrassing, to say the least. At least now she could keep whatever was left of her dignity and not have to smell the sick in her hair for however long they decided to keep her here.

"It's just the drugs wearing off," the Queen of Hearts quietly informed her, and Cassie turned her head, her brows furrowed as she surveyed the girls face.

"You're being nice," she noted with bewilderment, showing just how confused Helena was making her. After all, Helena had held a knife to her throat, knocked her down on the floor, drugged her, and then tied her up to a chair. All in all, Cassie felt her puzzlement was justified.

"Well," the Heart girl sighed. "You're not making it hard." She pulled another handkerchief from the counter, one that hadn't been drenched in chemicals, and wiped the traces of vomit from Cassie's chin and mouth.

"So, kitty," drawled Harry, tugging the little cat's attention away from the mind-boggling Heart girl. "Are ya gonna tell us?" He made it seem like a question, though Cassie knew full well he was actually expecting an answer from her. It didn't surprise her that he'd given her an ultimatum, of sorts. If she told him who on the Isle had magic, he wouldn't tell everyone else on the Isle about her. But if she didn't, he'd go yelling it from the rooftops until even the lowest of the low were seeking out the little cat. And even though the thought of people coming after her was rather unsettling, Cassie now had another safe route.

The little cat giggled and sat straight, stretching out her bound hands as she eyed the three people in front of her. If she told Harry who really spelled her dad, the chances of him losing his shit and killing her were high, and she had no doubts Helena would allow it to happen. It was obvious the Queen wouldn't fight against him if Cassie had nothing of value: The Heart girl wouldn't willingly risk her life for someone she didn't know and leave her son without his mother. And Gil... well, as lovely and kind as he was, his loyalty was to the pirates. He wouldn't like it, but he'd turn away and let it happen. The only way for Cassie to survive the night was to hold onto to the secret they thought she knew, and maybe play it up a little.

"Hmm." Cassie held onto the armrests, a small grin tugging at her lips as she saw Harry frown. "No."

* * *

AN;

Hello readers!

Okay, so there was a bit more going on in this chapter. I just wanted to show another side of the Isle maybe, and just how twisted things were over there. My new OC - Helena, had a very different upbringing to Cassie, and I honestly love diving into different thoughts and places on the Isle, and how each villain kid was raised in a different way.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

Sasha2702; I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter! And honestly - in my mind anyway, the Isle is really dark and twisted, so even something like a kids game could be turned into something evil. And I kind of wanted to Harry to win too, since it would of been interesting for me to write what could have happened if he did, but the majority of this story is based around a 'catch-and-release' kind of thing, so there will be a lot of close-calls and stuff like that. Also, Harry will be getting his hook back soon, but that will be in the next chapter, so I hope you stick around to read it. And thank you so much for the long review! I love it when people give me their thoughts on the story. :)

LolaVegas; :D

StrawberryNeko7; Thank you for the lovely review! As you can see in this chapter, Cassie's starting to realise just how horrible what she did was. In the heat of the moment, taking Harry's hook didn't seem like such a big thing, but obviously she now knows how much it probably means to him. And honestly, the idea for Cassie's curse taking place at night came from one of my favourite princess movies (not Disney), The Swan Princess. I don't know if you've seen it, but it gave me a lot of inspiration for Cassie's curse. I'm so happy you liked the chapter, and I really hope you enjoy this one too!

Deansgirl9742; I'm so glad you liked the chapter, and I hope you like this one! Thank you for the review!

Guest; Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like the story. And truthfully, I love writing about the Isle, I find it so much more interesting to write about than Auradon, especially since we don't see much of it in the movies, it's a great way to get creative. :)

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you think of this chapter. And much love to everyone who've favourited and followed!

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through)


	8. Nothing Personal

Warnings;

. Swearing (As usual)  
. Angst (Again)

This chapter's quite light, I think.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The suffocating and unnerving tension in the air was so thick that not even Helena's trusty knife could cut through it. It was clear on each of their faces that they hadn't anticipated Cassie's refusal to answer Harry's question, and the obvious bewilderment each 'captor' expressed was - at least to Cassie - quite hilarious.

Much to the little cat's slight astonishment, it was Helena who came to her senses first.

The Queen of Hearts swiftly dropped to her knees in front of the bucket Cassie had puked into only moments ago. "Don't be stupid, pussycat," she said, the softness of her voice somewhat tainted by the subtle threat that Cassie immediately noted. "I mean, you're what... like, fifteen?"

"Sixteen," the little cat corrected with a small shrug.

"Okay, sixteen. You've been hiding on this Isle for sixteen years, _I_ didn't even know you _or_ your daddy were here until Hook told me. And you can keep your identity a secret." Helena was clearly desperate, her wide eyes frantically darting between Cassie and pirates. "Just tell us who spelled you. You do that, and Harry will keep his mouth _shut,"_ she seethed the last word with a firm glare in Harry's direction, her features switching back the minute she faced the little cat. "Please."

Cassie gave a small huff of feigned annoyance and slumped back into the chair they'd tied her to, her dark eyes staring up at the ceiling. Hateful words and violent threats she could handle; To a certain degree, anyway. Heartbroken expressions and begging, however, had always been rather foreign to her.

The Cheshire Cat had been dubbed a criminal and thrown on the Isle, yes. Did that make him a criminal? No. From what her father had told her, he was far from a villain, and he hadn't raised her to be one either. His main priority had been self-preservation, and he'd instilled the exact same habits and mindsets onto his daughter. He'd been a master trickster back in Wonderland, and he often enjoyed the suffering of rather unpleasant people, Helena's mother included. But he hadn't been cruel or ruthless. In fact, he'd treated Cassie with an astonishing amount of affection and 'love' when she was growing up, and so she'd never quite found the need to cause harm to others.

Cassie was a little odd when compared to the other villain children on the Isle. She wasn't good, but she wasn't entirely bad either; She just was. Never in a million years would she willingly risk her life for someone she didn't know, and though her 'urges' were selfish and unneeded they kept her happy and sane. However, she'd never hurt someone else for the fun of it, and she wouldn't go seeking a fight merely for the sake of boredom or as a way to keep up some foolishly made reputation. She could be harsh if the situation demanded it - a small fact Harry should be well acquainted with by now - and she had no issue with being violent if she was cornered. But Cassie could be kind and understanding. Her complete willingness to give Helena the little bracelet she'd had made for her son was a clear example.

The Queen of Hearts obviously had her flaws, but even Cassie had seen the adoration and love she held for her baby; Two things the Isle was severely lacking. Helena might have her own reasons for wanting to get off the Isle, but the most noticeable of all was that she just wanted to get herself and her little one away from danger. And though Cassie herself wasn't a mother, she couldn't help but sympathise just a little, and to now see the Queen herself on her knees, and begging no less... well, it truly hammered the nail in harder.

Cassie knew full well that if she really did know someone on the Isle with magic, then she would have gotten herself off the damned Island way before Harry found her, and that if she had known of Helena and Gilzean then, she would have gladly taken them with her. But the harsh reality of it was that _no one_ on this Isle had magic, and the only being capable of letting them out was the Fairy Godmother, who was busy living it up in the land of happiness right across the pond. The little cat didn't have magic, and she didn't know anyone with magic.

But there was no way in hell she was admitting it to these three.

"I'm not telling you shit," she stated, her dark eyes wandering to where a furious Harry stood. "Tell them, I _dare_ you." The fire in the red pirate's eyes, along with the harsh grinding of his teeth, was a clear sign to Cassie that he knew just as well as she did how fucked they'd be if he went mouthing off to the Isle residents. After all, he and the crew were bad but they weren't the worst the Isle had to offer. If he really did go blabbing that she knew someone with magic, even the notorious villains themselves would attempt to find her, and there was no way in hell he or his Captain could get to her then.

Cassie gave a small, disgruntled groan as a sharp tug at the back of her head tilted her face upward, and a sharp sting started in the centre of her throat. "Ow."

"Listen up, pussycat," said Helena, her gentle tone from before long gone by this point. "If you don't wanna play nice, fine." Cassie felt the blade press further into her skin, accompanied by a tiny trickle of warmth running down the little cat's neck. "Tell me how to get off this fucking Isle or I'll take your head off."

"Hmm, okay, first of all," the little cat began, her index finger nervously twitching against the metal armrest. "I don't work well with violence. Just ask Harry. And second, if I die then so does everything I know. You kill me, you don't get the answer. Got it?" Her stomach was frantic, and the urge to vomit again grew greater by the second, but she was in the company of three... well, _two_ vicious villain kids, and she couldn't afford to show weakness now. She just had to swallow it down and hope to Hades they didn't see straight through her.

It took more time than Cassie was comfortable with, and a rather brutal glare from Helena, before the Queen of Hearts let her go. The moment she moved away Cassie knew with certainty that - at least for now - they all needed her alive.

"She's right," the Queen groaned, the knife firmly held in her right hand as she crossed her arms. She stood next to Gil, her eyes warily dancing between Harry and Cassie. "What happens now?"

 _That_ was a very good question: One that certainly had Cassie wracking her brain for an answer. Whether Helena and Harry liked it or not, they needed Cassie alive, and though it gave the little cat a pleasant certainty it didn't quite save her from whatever their sadistic minds were capable of conjuring; Harry's especially. If she'd learnt anything since meeting him, it was that he was no stranger to inflicting pain on another, if anything the bastard enjoyed it, and Cassie was positive he'd take great pleasure in being able to dig his hook into her skin.

 _'Oh. Shit.'_

The way out of her predicament appeared in Cassie's mind in perfect clarity, and she had to push down the smile of relief and excitement straining to make its way onto her face. She couldn't throw her suggestion into the air right away, since Helena and Harry were rather clever and would notice what she was doing before she'd even attempted it. She had to ease them into her 'deal'. Although, her main objective right now was Harry.

"What does happen now?" she asked, lightly shuffling around in the chair.

Harry hummed in thought, his eyes rolling about before they eventually came back to Cassie. "I could hurt ya," he suggested, taking slow steps toward the little cat. "We need ya alive, but ya voice is tha only thing ya need intact." He used his right foot to slide the bucket away from between Cassie's legs, his nose crinkling in disgust as he did so, and placed his hands over Cassie's bound wrists, resting a good portion of his weight against her arms as he leaned down.

Cassie winced at the sudden ache in her bones, the pain worsening as Harry leaned onto her further. She closed her eyes for a small moment and sucked in a deep breath of reassurance, willing herself to stay strong and fight back. It hurt, and she was sure her skin would bruise, but this was nothing compared to what he would do if he found out she wasn't as useful as he and his Captain once thought. After everything she'd put him through, Harry would make her suffer, and it was this screaming thought that had her biting down on her bottom lip as she tried to ignore the pain in her wrists.

The little cat opened her eyes, somewhat startled to find his face a mere inch away from hers. It came as no surprise to her that his ever-present grin still remained in place, the obvious twisting of her facial features as he hurt her delighting him in some way.

"Does that hurt, little kitty?" he taunted, pointedly pushing down harder until a squeak of protest snuck its way through her closed lips. "Ya can make it go away, ya know." The urge to break was hard to ignore, and staying quiet was even greater a task for her. "Jus' tell me what I wanna know, Cassie, an' I'll make it stop."

The fear she felt right now was unbearable, especially when paired with the overwhelming agony her small wrists were currently being subjected to. If Harry truly did use his full strength against her, her wrists would crumble and snap, and she'd well and truly be fucked. However, the adrenaline coursing through her veins gave her a bit of a boost, reminding her that - though she was losing this round - she had a little weapon she could used against him. One that could, and would, break him.

"You're right," she whispered, a small gasp passing through her lips as he lightened his hold. "I'm the only one who knows who cursed me, Harry. But I have more than one secret, yah know." Cassie prayed to anyone that was listening that he took the bait she was throwing, and by mere luck he seemed to have taken it.

"Is that right?" he inquired with a small chuckle, his hands moving from her wrists to instead hold onto the sides of the chair. "A secret for yar life, eh?" Cassie nodded vigorously, the relief of not having him crushing her bones surging through her form like a wave.

The little cat's relief was short-lived, however, when Harry's right hand darted to the back of her neck, his fingers gently caressing her skin. Cassie had no choice but to submit, her head falling back as small goose bumps lined her arms.

A large part of her had hoped he'd forgotten all about her little 'spot', and just how content it made her despite her circumstances, but he hadn't. The asshole had gone and stored it in the back of his mind as a way to get to her. Just as Cassie herself had done with the little buttons she'd seen on him.

"Tell me what ya know then, love," he muttered, drawing out the pet-name into her ear.

"I haven't told anyone else this, just you," she began, moistening her lips with her tongue as she mentally prepared herself for what she was about to do. "It's not as big as who spelled me." Cassie attempted to seem, at least a little, guilty about the fact she wasn't telling him who on the Isle had magic. After all, she still had to play it up a little.

"As long as I get somethin' out o' this, love, it don' matter," he told her, his lips moving against her cheek as he spoke.

"You do," she reassured with haste, briefly wondering if she was playing this out too hard. If she kept making this seem like she really did have some big secret to tell, and she got his hopes up, he was definitely going to kill her at the end of it.

Harry removed his hand from the back of her neck and Cassie stammered a breath of relief. Instead, he gently held the side of her face, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "Then tell me, Cassie."

Truthfully, she did have more than one secret. The person who spelled her, though severely lacking in detail, she knew, and it wouldn't benefit the pirates in any way. Another big secret she had could help them in some way, and she could have easily told Harry about it, but she wasn't going to. He was half of the reason she was in this mess in the first place, and fucking with him was so easy.

"I wanna make a deal with you, Harry. What I'm about to tell you." She took a pause. "It means a lot to me, and someone else. I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't desperate. If I tell you this, I need you to guarantee that you won't hurt me again. I need your word."

"Harry," called Helena, and both he and Cassie looked back at the Queen of Hearts. "You can't make a deal unless you know what it is. She's too valuable to us."

"I'm not a bloody idiot, _princess_ ," he snapped, earning himself a harsh glare from Helena. "I know 'ow ta make a deal." Harry swiftly took back his hands and stood to his full height, his brows raised as he stared down at the little cat. "Terms?"

"You don't hurt me again. I'm not asking for freedom, Harry. I'm asking you not to torture me. You guarantee me that and I'll tell you my secret." Her terms were plain, but only when said. If Harry took this deal, and he would, she'd be out of the salon by the time the sun came up.

Harry chewed his bottom lip, his eyes roaming over her as he thought. "This secret, 'ow important is it ta me?"

"Very." Cassie didn't waste a moment. She had his attention, now she had to seal their deal. "Uma said you pirates take your word seriously, and I hope you feel the same way about that." Bringing up his Captain might not have been the best idea, but Cassie wasn't taking any chances with this one.

"Aye, we do."

"I'm not a liar, Harry. My secret is _very_ important to you, and I wouldn't give it up unless I had to. All I want is to spare myself from any pain, not just from you." Cassie's dark eyes flickered to Helena and Gil pointedly. "All of you. You don't hurt me, _they_ don't hurt me. _No one_ hurts me. Those are my terms."

"You don't want your freedom?" the Queen inquired sceptically.

"I do, more than anything, but I know you guys can't let me go. I understand that. Just...don't hurt me, please."

Helena sighed and gave a small shrug. "I dunno, it's your call," she huffed, looking at Harry.

"Aye, it is," he grumbled, humming a small tune to himself as he weighed the options of his decision. "A'right, here's my terms though." He took up his former position once more, and Cassie jolted as she felt the familiar pressure come down on her wrists. "If ya're lyin' ta me, an' this secret isn' that important, I'll fuckin' kill ya. I don' give a shite if ya know a way off the Isle, I don' like liars, kitty. If this secret o' yars means nothin' ta me I swear on my hook I'll gut ya, got it?" Cassie nodded her head and - much to her relief - the pressure disappeared once again.

"So," she breathed, gently turning her hands over with a small grimace, the pain in her poor wrists evident. "Do we have a deal?"

"We have a deal."

"Oh, thank Hades," she groaned, only basking in the momentary glow of happiness for a second before she got straight to the nitty gritty. "First of all, you take a few steps back," she told Harry, amused to see the confusion on his face as he did as she asked. "Second, you guys heard right?" She spoke to Helena and Gil. "No one hurts me. He breaks the deal, he goes back on his pirate-code, right?" The two nodded their heads.

"What's tha secret, Cassie?" asked Harry, a sudden twinge of uncertainty in his tone. Even she could see he was thrown by her change of demeanour, the desperation, sadness and sincerity she'd shown only moments ago replaced with confidence and slight mischief.

"I told you I wasn't a liar, and I meant it," she opted with, instead of answering him right away. "No one else knows this, and you will get something out of it." Cassie was covering her bases by this point, the unnerving twinge in her stomach reminding her that - though he stuck to his word - Harry was quite the temperamental one, and the chances of him trying to kill her again were high. "It's also very, _very_ important to you." Her dark eyes moved to focus on his left hand, her gaze lingering until he noticed where this conversation was going.

Harry noticed it alright, and Cassie visibly brightened as his body movements switched the moment the gears in his head started turning. His right hand moved to grasp the sword held to his side, the fingers of his left hand stretching and twisting as she rather brutally reminded him of the valuable object he'd lost to her two days ago.

"Harry?" questioned Helena, also noticing the obvious changes. He didn't acknowledge the Queen of Hearts, the same way he hadn't noticed Uma on the night of the 'challenge'. He was _pissed,_ and he had his target locked.

Cassie wanted to let him stew in his anger and possible self-loathing for a little longer, but she knew the longer she made this last, the greater the risk was that he'd kill her. So, instead, she decided to get straight to it.

"I still have your hook."

~...~...~

The Isle was a dark and torturous place. Numerous acts of brutality and violence were acted out in the streets and behind closed doors, both in the dark and light. It wasn't a place for the weak-minded, and their suicide count had to be through the roof. Strength was a great gift to have, but it wasn't a necessity. If your mind was strong and unbreakable, then maybe you'd survive. After all, strength could be limited and drained, but the mind was the most powerful tool any villain, V.K., and simple ruffian could wield.

For example, Cassie couldn't stand pain, and she absolutely loathed the idea of fighting someone head on. However, when left to her own devices for a long period of time she could quickly summon an escape route _and_ back-up in case things went to shit. She always had to be at least one step ahead of her attacker, and it had certainly gotten her to this point.

It would also get her through the night.

"Walk a little faster, yeah?"

Cassie pursed her lips and looked over her shoulder at Harry. "Why?" she taunted. "You scared?" A harsh tug of the metal chain connected to the offending object around her neck was a stifling reminder of her current dilemma, and that she couldn't keep pushing him if she wanted to survive.

"Jus' walk," he grumbled.

Cassie stayed quiet and wordlessly complied, her footsteps moving a little faster. She swallowed as she turned into the alleyway, a small shiver of displeasure shaking her body. She didn't quite fancy the idea of sneaking through the narrow space without the use of her arms, but there was no way in hell Harry was going to untie her. For the time being, she just had to bear it.

As different scenes of how this night could go played out in her head, Cassie carefully pondered each and every one, her mind conjuring an answer to each moment that could possibly happen. In the worst case scenario, she'd be forced to take Harry up into her beloved 'den' and give him his hook, in which case she'd have to fight against the armed pirate. The better, and preferred, option was that he'd somehow fall off the ledge leading up to her home and meet a gruesome demise, but even Cassie knew the chances of that happening were small. There had to be something in between those two, one that meant she'd escape unharmed and still alive.

Taking Harry back to Bargain Castle hadn't exactly been at the centre of Cassie's mind back in the salon, but she couldn't deny that the uncomfortable thought of having to do such a thing had entered her mind on more than one occasion. After all, she'd handed him the deal knowing full well what it meant, and it was painfully obvious he'd want his treasured heirloom back from her. She couldn't entirely despise her current predicament, since she'd thrown herself into it, and her plan to get out of the damned salon had worked rather well.

 _"I still have your hook."_

 _The room went completely silent at Cassie's supposed 'secret', the dangerous tension it left lingering in the air felt by all. Even without the aid of her feline senses, the little cat was certain that - in this moment - she'd be able to hear a small pin drop from two rooms over. A part of her was scared shitless of Harry's reaction, though that was overridden by the intense satisfaction she felt at knowing he couldn't touch her after their 'deal'. She'd baited him again, and he'd fallen for it... again._

 _"I swear ta fuckin-" Harry's loud and threatening voice was interrupted by Helena, the Queen of Hearts taking a rather daring step between the pirate and little cat._

 _"You can't touch her," she pointed out with a grimace, taking a wide-stance as she aimed her knife in Harry's direction. "You made the deal, remember? She didn't lie to you, did she?" Helena's words were like a dagger to his stomach, mainly because what she said was true._

 _The son of Hook paced frantically, his fingers running through his short, dark strands of hair and giving a quick tug. He was pissed, and who could blame him?_

 _"It means that much to you, huh?" the Queen noted, taking a slow and small step back toward Cassie._

 _"He carried it around with him everywhere," the little cat spoke, the feigned sympathy and understanding in her voice greatly conflicting with the delighted smirk on her face. "In his left hand," she added. "Now he just looks like every other trashy pirate on the Isle."_

 _A bellowing yell of anger from Harry was quickly followed by an ear-shattering smash, the red pirate's fist having collided with one of Helena's salon mirrors._

 _"Hey!" The Queen of Hearts shouted indignantly, still firmly rooted in her spot between Harry and Cassie._

 _The tense moment between all four V.K.'s was broken by a shrill scream coming from the next room. It seemed that Harry's vocal anger, along with the sound of a now-destroyed mirror, had woken up baby Gilzean._

 _"I'll go," offered Gil, hastily rushing through the red-curtain the moment he received a grateful smile and small nod of acceptance from Helena._

 _"Okay, now I'm pissed," the Queen seethed, her dark glower flickering from Harry to Cassie. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get him to sleep?! No, you don't. My salon is trashed, and now my teething baby is awake, so someone had better come up with a solution before I cut off both your heads!" In her angered state, Helena's cheeks and neck had flushed with a faint red, a family trait she most likely received from her deceased mother._

 _"I want my fuckin' hook back," demanded Harry, picking small shards of glass from his wounded knuckles, apparently unmoved by the sight of blood dripping down his arm._

 _"Where's his hook, pussycat?" the Queen huffed, blowing a curly strand of hair away from her face as she turned to Cassie._

 _"Somewhere. Anywhere. And only I know," the little cat responded. When Harry growled and took another threatening step toward her, she playfully tutted in his direction. "No, no, no, love," she sang, putting special emphasis on the irritating 'term of endearment' he always gave her. "You. Can't. Hurt. Me. We made a deal, remember? Or does the code not apply to you?" Cassie was being especially cruel towards him tonight, but she was happy to admit that she was taking great pleasure from tormenting him further, since he seemed so eager and desperate to do the same to her._

 _"I swear ta fuckin'-"_

 _"Another empty threat?" she wondered, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You're full of disappointments lately, aren't you Harry?" Oh how he was going to hurt her for this later._

 _Harry paused and chewed hard at his bottom lip, his eyes practically murdering her on the spot. "I might not be able ta hurt ya tanight, little kitty, but when tha sun comes up I'm gonna enjoy meself."_

 _"Hmm, maybe," she muttered with a feigned expression of deep thought. "Maybe not. I'll be gone by then." Not a complete lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either. If they kept her here then she'd still be here when the sun came up, and they'd be witnesses to her transformation. Cassie just hoped she could get out before then._

 _"What? 'Cause o' yar curse?" Harry chuckled humourlessly. "I don' give a shite. I got no problem skinnin' a fuckin' cat."_

 _"Well I don't doubt that. You had to do something while your crazy daddy was ignoring you as a kid," she remarked, a small giggle passing through her lips as he moved once again, only to be pushed back by the Queen of Hearts. "Okay, okay," she said loudly, dimming her amusement for a moment. "I'm not completely heartless. I won't tell you where it is, but I'd be more than happy to show you."_

 _That caught his attention. "Eh?"_

 _"Uh-huh. I'll show you where it is. Just untie me, and I'll take you there. Only you though, Harry."_

 _"A second, Harry," muttered Helena, shoving his left shoulder as she moved to stand near the entrance to the salon. He followed her slight demand, and the two huddled together, trading harsh whispers that were incoherent to Cassie's human ears._

 _In the meantime, Cassie took this 'break' to completely figure out what she was going to do if Harry took her up on the offer. Fighting him was absurd, and trying to run from him wouldn't be too wise of a choice. But this was her side of the Isle. She knew every alleyway, wrong turn, and the quickest ways to get home if she was in a troubled situation. This was her territory, not Harry's, and she could certainly use that to her advantage._

 _"A'right little kitty," he sighed, coming back into the room with the Queen of Hearts behind him. "I'll come with ya."_

 _"Okay then," she said with a small smile, gently tugging at her bound wrists. "Yah wanna let me out?"_

 _"Not jus' yet," he admitted, his right hand reaching into the inside of his red coat. "This is more of a... guarantee, than anythin' else, surely ya understan'." His anger had completely diminished by the time he retrieved the object from inside his coat, that smirk Cassie was becoming so familiar with slithering right back into place the moment her dark eyes widened._

 _"Fuck no," she objected, eyeing the object between his fingers with as much disgust as she could muster._

 _"Fuck yes."_

The Cheshire Cat's daughter stopped in her tracks, a deep sigh of reluctance escaping her mouth when they came to the end of the tunnel. She let her dark eyes roam over Bargain Castle, the ruins of what was once a beautiful building enhancing her already anxious state.

A hard yank forced the little cat back a few steps, and a gasp of air passed through her lips as she stumbled into Harry's chest. A faint blush covered her cheeks as her hands, that Harry had made sure to tie behind her back, mindlessly grasped at a certain part of his anatomy that she really shouldn't have.

"It's a bit late for that, love," he laughed into her ear, the index finger of his left hand hooking around the red collar securely tightened around her neck. "Now," he pressed. "Where's yar hide-away?"

Cassie wordlessly gave a sharp nod towards the eerie castle and took a small step forward, only to be pulled back once again.

"Ya didn' mention ya were one o' tha dragon lady's little... cronies," he growled, apparently aggravated by the thought of her running around with the Queen of all villains.

"I'm not," she rushed to explain, a small breath catching in her throat as Harry gripped the collar tighter. "I just live there." A small sliver of relief washed through her when Harry released her, the red pirate now storming toward the castle entrance with haste.

The little cat struggled to keep up with his strides, her bound hands throwing off her balance, and her short legs moving in a light jog to avoid being pulled onto her face.

"Harry," she muttered, and the pirate ignored her. "Hook," she tried, her voice much louder and firmer than before.

"What?!" he exclaimed, stopping suddenly and turning to face her.

Cassie yelped as she came chest to chest with Harry. "You're going the wrong way," she told him, her neck craned painfully to look up at him.

"Well," he sighed, taking a quick glance from left to right. "I don' see another way."

Cassie rolled her eyes and decidedly took the lead on this one, carefully sliding around Harry to move along the wall. Her motions remained interrupted, and a small part of her was rather grateful that he hadn't pulled on the damned leash again.

They turned the corner, Cassie following her familiar path while Harry kept a small distance between them, and eventually the metal staircase came into view.

Now _this_ was the hard part. Going up the stairs would be easy enough as long as Harry stayed behind her, and she could do it with her hands tied with no problem. The tricky part was when they'd eventually reach the small wooden plank at the top. For that, she would need her balance, and much to the little cat's utter annoyance, Harry was currently in control of it.

"What's wrong with ya?" he demanded, and Cassie realised that - during her moment of thought - she'd slowed down.

"I...uh, kind'a need you to untie me," she admitted, words of explanation flying off of her tongue the moment he opened his mouth to shut her down. "There's a part at the end and I need my hands for it!"

"No fuckin' chance," he stated, shaking his head from side to side. "Yar off yar rocker if ya think I'm lettin' yar hands go."

"Fine." Cassie grumbled petulantly, straightening her legs to root herself in their current spot. "I'll just fall to my death then and you'll have to look through this big ol' castle by yourself. You probably won't find your hook either, but what does that matter?" At the end of her long-winded rant, Cassie averted her eyes to the scenery surrounding them, patiently waiting for the pirate to cave and untie her.

It took a little less time than she anticipated, but soon enough a huff of irritation escaped the pirate and he was forcefully turning her around.

"If ya try anythin' I'll push ya off this thing myself."

Cassie moaned in delight as the rope around her wrists disappeared, the harsh material no longer scratching at her already sore and bruised skin. "See?" she muttered playfully. "Was that so hard?" A sharp sting radiated through her left ass cheek, and Cassie gaped, looking back at an unabashed Harry.

"Move yar arse, kitty," he demanded, and she rolled her eyes, her movements a little faster with the threat of Harry spanking her again taunting her mind.

When Cassie came to the end of the staircase, and right outside the doorway to Mal's bedroom, she held onto the railing with both hands, her right leg lifting up and over the barrier separating her from the plank of wood.

"Are ya fuckin' mad?" the pirate seethed, gripping the back of her dress to stop her from moving.

"We're all mad here," she replied with a small shrug, bringing her left leg over to join the other. "What's your point?"

Harry stared at her as though she'd grown another head. "What the actual fuck are ya doin'?"

Cassie paused, her brows furrowed in slight confusion as she looked at Harry. For the first time since she'd had the misfortune of meeting him, he looked... well, _scared._ "Harry," she whispered slowly, her dark eyes picking up on the tiny darting movements of his eyes. "Are you scared of heights?" His silence and small glower in her direction was enough of an answer, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"I'm not scared," he objected. "I jus' don' quite fancy tha thought o' fallin' to me death, a'right?" He looked over the side of the railing and swallowed hard, the darkness below restraining either one from seeing just how far down the ground was.

In his small moment of weakness, Harry had thoughtlessly let go of Cassie's dress, and the little cat slipped through the opening with a speed he hadn't exactly counted on. They were on different sides now. Harry still stood on the firm and safe metal floor of the staircase, while Cassie balanced perfectly on the thin plank of wood beneath her feet.

"Scaredy-cat," she taunted with a raised brow, almost daring him to come after her. A part of her hoped he'd give into his fear and let her go, giving her a chance to find another place to hide away in. However, a more mischievous and playful part of her _wanted_ him to take that jump, just for her to see how desperate he was to have his hook back.

Harry's jaw clenched, his brows furrowing as he eyed the little cat with something akin to resentment. He obviously knew she was betting against him, the amused smirk on her lips said as much, but it gave him a drive, so to speak. If he gave up and went home, Cassie would never let him forget it, but if he followed her the rest of the way then he could finally get his beloved object back, and he could put an end to the little pest once and for all.

"Fine," he grumbled, stepping away from the railing. Harry removed the heavy coat from his shoulders, the red material falling down to the floor of the staircase, and moved back toward the edge.

He had persistence, that much was true. Although, Cassie suspected his motivation was fuelled by the idea of being able to kill or hurt her.

With the worrying notion that the plank might crumble under both their weight, Cassie smoothly slid up the trail and onto her 'perch', her fingers firmly holding onto the edge as she leaned out to watch his struggle. She was going to enjoy this.

As Harry recounted the steps she'd taken to get onto the ledge, Cassie moved her hands to the back of her neck and fiddled with the clasp, determined to get the irritating leash off of the collar.

"Oh fuck." Harry's mutter of terror drew Cassie away from her current task, and she quickly abandoned the chain attached to her, her dark eyes decidedly focussing on the troubled pirate.

"Idiot," she giggled quietly, somewhat pleased to see him so worried.

In full honesty, Cassie hadn't expected him to get this far. She hadn't even thought he'd climb over the railing, but he had. Now, however, he was stuck.

Crossing over the plank was easy enough for her. But she _had_ been doing this for years now, and could probably do it blindfolded. However, where she was rather small and thin, Harry was everything but. For her, it was a simple thing of one foot in front of the other, and one arm raised against the wall with the other outstretched for some added balance. The pirate, though, had gone for a more obvious approach. His large and boot-clad feet side-shuffled along the plank, his entire upper body pushed into the wall behind him as his arms stayed close to his sides. If he kept it up and carried on moving, he'd get to her with no problem, but his fear had overridden his brain, and his gaze seemed to be securely locked on the dark abyss below them.

"Harry," she called, the small smile slipping away from her face as he ignored her voice. "Hook?" Silence was yet another answer.

 _'You know what you have to do,"_ her inner voice pointed out, and the little cat wrinkled her nose in evident displeasure. She wanted to let him stay there for the rest of the night, maybe even after. He did deserve it, especially after all the shit he'd happily put her through. However, the little cat's inner morality pestered her relentlessly, shoving another - and less desirable - thought into the front of her mind.

 _'Nope. No way. Not a fucking chance.'_ She gave a small pout of indignation, the two very different sides of her mind waging war in her head.

 _'Do it.'_

 _'No.'_

 _'Now.'_

 _'No."_

 _'Now!'_

 _'Damn it. Fine.'_

Cassie groaned and straddled the wall, her right leg firmly planted against the floor of her den, while her left hung down against the outer wall. She carefully shuffled closer in Harry's direction, the fingers of her right hand holding onto the beam on the inside of her den.

"Harry," she called once more, her frustration building as he ignored her again. "Hook!" she yelled.

"What?!" he finally shouted back, his head whipping in her direction.

For a moment, Cassie could only stare back at him. He was hiding his terror well, but not well enough. She could see it clear as day: From the noticeable tremor in his fingers as he drummed the digits against the wall, and the slight widening of his eyes every single time he made the poor decision of looking down. In times like this, the better option would be to soothe the person suffering, or somehow lull them into a faint sense of security. The biggest problem, however, was that Cassie couldn't possibly do it with Harry. With the amount of bad blood between the two of them there was no way in Hades she could do nice with the pirate, and even if she could, the little cat held a strong suspicion Harry wouldn't react too well to it either.

Realistically, Cassie only had one option.

"You're so pathetic, you know that?" she told him, her lips twitching downward into a disapproving frown. "I mean, you act all big-and-bad out there-" she nudged her chin toward their surroundings, "-but you're nothing. I mean, who'd of thought it? The infamous Harry Hook, scared of a little drop."

"Ya're playin' a dangerous game, Cassie," he warned her.

"If your dad could see you now." The little cat laughed, her dark eyes scanning his body. "He'd be so disappointed."

Whether he knew it or not, Harry had started moving again. Cassie's words were cruel but they were having the desired affect, and she found herself pressed further into the hard wall in front of her, the grip she had on the beam inside her den tightening.

Cassie truly had to wonder, though, if he knew what she was up to. He seemed irritated enough: Her words of judgement and mocking were clearly motivating him to get to her as fast as he could. But there was something unreadable in his expression. His brow had raised curiously after she mentioned his father, his light eyes surveying her face for something or other before it eventually twisted into frustration and rage. Either way, she couldn't look into it too much, not when she still had no true way of knowing how this night would end.

As Harry got closer, Cassie leaned her body to the left, the hand that wasn't gripping onto something gently placed against the wall. Her dark eyes kept a steady gaze with Harry's, her fingers twitching mindlessly as her eyes flickered down toward his feet. One wrong foot placement and - no matter how close he was - he'd fall, and the risk of death was a certainty when there was nothing for him to grab onto on the way down.

There wasn't a great distance between the plank and the window, but in order to get in he'd have to grip onto the 'perch' and swing up. Cassie had no problem with heights, she was used to being so far from the ground. But for someone with a large fear of them... well, it would be a little harder to make that final leap.

Cassie brought herself into the den, but kept her upper half outside to give the pirate some instruction. "Okay, you have to swing around," she told him, and the swift look of complete distress told her everything she needed to know about Harry's thoughts on the matter. "Don't look at me like that. There's a piece of wood in here you have to grab onto. You won't be able to hold onto it if you're facing that way."

"Oh I'm gonna fuckin' murder ya far this," he groaned.

"Tell me something I don't already know," she retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Don't think about it, just do it." Cassie still felt her entire attitude toward this situation was insane. She should want him to drop. She should even shove him off the side of the tower, but she wouldn't.

Harry tried to do as she told him and turn around, but it was a task much easier said than done. The plank was thin, and in his embarrassingly scared state, his body didn't seem to want to cooperate, his mind running wild with dark thoughts of what would happen if he didn't do it right.

Without giving it much thought, mainly due to knowing full well she'd overthink it, Cassie reacted. Her left arm darted out, her body turned awkwardly as she attempted to stay safely rooted inside the den, and grasped the front of his shirt in her small hand.

"Move, or I'll pull you," she told him, hoping he wouldn't sense the uncertainty in her threat. If she was going to get him to turn she had to give him an ultimatum, of sorts. Truthfully, she didn't want to have to push him, but if he stayed where he was he'd probably fall down eventually, and she wanted to get this done before the sun came up.

Cassie had gone sixteen years without killing another, and she really prayed she wouldn't have to do it tonight.

Thankfully, it seemed she wouldn't have to. Harry took heed of her warning and - albeit with a look of utter reluctance and resentment - slowly started to turn around. His movements were slow and frantic, and Cassie couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, the grip she'd had on his shirt loosening, though her fingers stayed close and hovered over his left shoulder until he had his front firmly pressed into the wall.

When turned, he gave her a desperate look that clearly said, _'now what?',_ and Cassie acted again.

"Closer." Her word of encouragement was nothing more than a whisper, but with his eyes closely trained on her face Harry managed to read her lips.

As he moved up the plank and toward the window, Cassie took small movements back, her hand precariously lingering near his forearm on the off-chance he slipped. Her stomach wound in anxious knots, a breath of air caught in her throat as she watched him. One more move and he was in.

Harry's arm reached out, his hand blindly feeling the wall until - with a little aid from Cassie - his fingers grasped the piece of wood she'd told him about.

"You got it?" she asked, her bottom lip clasped firmly between her teeth.

"Aye." His assurance was all she needed, and the little cat took large steps back into the den as Harry swiftly yanked himself up onto the perch and through the window, landing in an ungraceful heap beneath it.

The threat had been demolished, and that alone should have been enough. But it wasn't. For a tiny moment the two stayed in the after-effects of their adrenaline rush.

Harry didn't move, not at first. He stayed beneath the perch as he caught his breath, his mind attempting to soothe his body into its natural state, frantically reassuring his limbs that the threat of falling was long gone. He hadn't been that scared in a very, very long time, and he really hoped he wouldn't have to take it again on his way out.

Cassie, meanwhile, began to pace about her 'home', a sudden and unwelcome nausea bubbling up in the back of her throat. Her overwhelmed body would calm down soon, but her mind was absolutely frantic with thought.

 _'Why didn't you push him?!'_ It yelled.

In full honesty, Cassie had no idea why she hadn't shoved him from the tower. All it would have taken was one firm push. One little movement of her hand and her tormenter would be dead, and no longer able to torture her mind. So why hadn't she done it?

"Right," he sighed, wiping a droplet of sweat from his forehead as he stared at the little cat. "Where the fuck's me hook?"

 _'Oh, yeah,'_ she thought with a grimace, the stifling tension from before being replaced with something much darker.

They were in her _home_ now: The one place Cassie could unwind and relax now tainted by the pirate's presence. No one, apart from herself, had been inside this part of the Castle. Not even her father. It was _her_ secret place. _Her_ hide-away. Now, though, there was a stranger here. Someone she loathed with every fibre of her being casually taking in the very little around them. To him it might not seem like much, but to her it was everything.

"It's...uh-"

"Holy shite," the pirate's gasp of astonishment halted her rambling, and she quickly looked behind her to see what had caught him so off-guard. "Quite the Kleptomaniac, aren't ya?" he laughed, slowly rising to his feet.

"I told you," she muttered bashfully, slightly uncomfortable as Harry hastily walked toward her 'stash'. "I like pretty things." She honestly didn't think it that impressive, but Harry seemed to think otherwise.

"Ya don' say?" he mocked, his fingers smoothing over each object he could reach. "All o' this an' ya're livin' in this dump?" he remarked with a small shake of the head, and Cassie frowned.

"I have my reasons," she snapped, not too pleased about his comment on her favourite place.

"Is my hook in 'ere?" he inquired, gently digging through her 'stash', his eyes lingering on certain objects as he searched.

Cassie paused, her dark eyes darting toward her 'bed'. "It should be," she replied steadily, her gaze fixed on the distracted pirate as she carefully manoeuvred toward the stack of blankets near the wall.

"How the fuck do ya fin' anythin' in 'ere?" he demanded with a huff, crouching down in front of the stash to dig in further.

"I don't," she answered as she lowered herself to the floor, her right hand sliding into the thin pieces of fabric. "I play with them for a bit and then get bored." Cassie had to keep talking, and she had to be careful. If he thought she was up to something, and he moved quicker than she did, she'd surely wind up dead by the time the sun came up.

"Bit of a waste, if ya ask me," he grumbled, twisting a silver chain around his fingers before dropping it onto the pile. "Ya could make a good penny if ya sold these, ya know."

When the little cat's fingers eventually met a warm and hard object, she knew she had it. "I know," she replied, her fingers slithering around the handle. "But I don't do it for the money." Cassie held her breath as she pulled the hook out from between her blankets, her heart pounding in her ears as she moved back to her full height.

"Are ya sure it's in 'ere?"

 _'Don't think about it, just do it.'_ Her earlier words to Harry came screaming back into her mind, an added boost settling on top of every other reason on why she had to do this. It was her or Harry. One of them was bound to lose tonight, and there was no way in Hades it was going to be her again.

"No."

Before Harry had time to turn around, or contemplate the idea that it wasn't the wisest decision to keep his back to the enemy, he was out cold on the floor.

"Sorry Harry," she mumbled unapologetically, looking down at the pirate as she tossed his hook into her 'stash'. "Nothing personal."

* * *

AN;

Hello readers!

Alright, so, not much happening in this chapter. Just Cassie being a sneaky little shit, and Harry getting mad...again. And maybe a tiny, tiny moment of weakness on Cassie's part.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

Lola Vegas; :D

Sasha2702; Thank for your review! I'm so glad you liked Helena. I had to debate with putting another OC in quite early on in the story, but in the end I felt it was a bit necessary. This whole fic is based on the Isle - for now, and I really want to show how twisted and unfair things are over there. Plus, teen pregnancy on the Isle does seem likely, since I doubt Auradon have taken up the initiative to send protection over there. I mean, they send all the left-overs to the Isle...so yeah, no means of preventing a baby over there.

As for Gil stopping Harry from attacking Cassie, it's unlikely to happen so early on in this story. Gil's so sweet and naïve in the movie, and in this story, but he seems quite loyal to Uma and Harry. And since they've been friends for so long, I feel like he gets the gist on how everything works. He likes Cassie, but he doesn't know her well enough to defend her, if that makes sense?

Muddy Birdy; You're absolutely right. Most of the villain kids on the Isle have to have some kind of way of throwing off the enemy, and Cassie's is obviously making herself seem like everything's some kind of joke or it isn't that important, when really it is. She doesn't like to show weakness, and she does her best to avoid making it obvious. And in regards to her telling them her secret, right again! If she tells them she loses her only safety net, so it's understandable she'd want to keep it to herself for as long as possible.

I'm not too sure on if any other Wonderland residents will be on the Isle. I know when the first movie came out a few people thought they spotted the mad hatter, but he didn't seem like much of a threat in the 50's movie, and in the live-action movie he was basically good - but a little nutty. There are so many characters in Alice in Wonderland that I have to go through, though, so you never know, I may decide to throw a few others in here.

I'm so glad you like my OC's, and I really hope you like this chapter. Thank you for the review!

Kazumikit; Technically, the pirates didn't break the deal. The thing about the deals on the Isle is that all bases have to be covered. Cassie told them her terms, and said that no one would come after her or follow her, but she didn't specify on how long. The pirates took it to mean for that night, which is why they didn't know where she was, and it took two days for Harry to actually find her. It's all in the technicalities, and thank you for the review!

StrawberryNeko7; Thank you for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, and I'm really happy you like my OC's. And yes, Cassie can be quite sassy when she needs to be, and there's quite a bit of that in this chapter.

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you thought about this chapter. And much, much love to everyone who've followed and favourited as well!

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through)


	9. Double-Edged Sword

Warnings;

. Swearing (As usual.)  
. Angst (As usual.)  
. Violence toward the end.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Cassie's moment of relief and slight self-pride was short-lived, since the uncomfortable weight of exactly what she'd just done came down on her shoulders with a wave of dread. Knocking him out had been her only option, and she knew that with certainty. However, the brutal war between herself and the hooked pirate would - if her guess was right - only ever end with one of them at the bottom of the ocean. And since she had no desire to kill anyone tonight, the chances of Harry doubling his efforts to find her after he woke up were inevitable, and she worried greatly over the thought of what he would do when he eventually found her again.

"Oh shit," the little cat muttered, fretfully toying with the edges of her hair as she stared down at the unconscious pirate. He was clearly out of it, with no obvious signs of waking soon. But Cassie had been knocked out herself, and once she thought back on that painful occurrence, the memory of how long it took her to come around forced its way into the centre of her mind.

Cassie inhaled a deep breath and released, attempting to soothe her frantic mind as she rushed to search her hideaway for anything remotely close to a piece of rope. If she was right, which she really hoped she was, she had an hour or two before he woke up. And since she had no intention of being present when Harry eventually did wake, she had to tie him down fast.

The little cat moved quick, her steps hurried and - much to Cassie's embarrassment - clumsy. For someone usually so graceful on her feet, the worrisome thoughts of what could happen if Harry woke up before she had a chance to keep him rooted in one place turned her into a bit of a klutz.

When the fact that she had nothing to tie him with settled into the little cat's mind, she decided to get a little creative. It meant sacrificing one or two of her blankets, but her need to stay alive and unharmed overrode the usual desire to snuggle into a nice and warm nook at night, and so she got to the task of tearing apart her blankets until she had numerous strips of fabric, knowing full well it would take more than one piece to keep Harry securely tied down.

Now came the hard part.

Cassie's hideaway was - in the plainest terms - an attic. It hadn't been built to house anyone like the other rooms down below, so the large wooden beams and numerous pipes trailing along the walls and floor were bare, and much to the little cat's luck, suitable for holding someone against their will.

Cassie carefully moved back toward the sleeping pirate, nudging his chest with her foot to ensure he was still out cold. Only when she was safely satisfied that he wasn't waking up did she put her plan in motion.

"C'mon girl, you can do this," she muttered with forced reassurance, stepping toward Harry's head and leaning down, her slender fingers wrapping around Harry's right wrist.

Her decision on exactly where she was going to tie him up hadn't been a split-second thought. The pipes in the room were thick, but rusted, and too much pressure and force against them would cause them to crumble and break. It had to be one of the beams, and Cassie had no problem using every ounce of her strength to get the pirate where she needed him to be.

The plan was short and simple, though the reality of it all was much different.

"Damn it, Harry," she cursed, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she strained to drag him to the other side of the room. He was tall and muscular, two problems on their own let alone together, and if his heavy weight was anything to go by then Cassie could safely assume he was well fed over on his side of the Isle.

By the time the little cat got him to her selected beam, droplets of sweat were running down her face and neck. All she had to do now was prop him up against the large, sturdy piece of wood, and get his wrists tied. A task she soon found was much easier than dragging him across the damned floor.

When it was all over and done with, Cassie stood to her full height, her right hand grasping at her long strands of hair and holding them against the back of her head. Heavy-lifting was certainly not her strongest skill set, but she'd done what she had to do, and she was confident that the strips of blanket binding Harry's wrists wouldn't break for a good while.

The little cat huffed and slumped down onto the hard floor, giving herself a moment or two to gather her breath and thoughts. She glanced toward the window, anxiously wondering if she had enough time to do everything before the sun came up.

Cassie flinched as a faint groan came from the unconscious teenager in front of her, her dark eyes bouncing from the perch to Harry. She'd hoped he'd be out for at least an hour, much like she had when he'd decided to knock her out only a few nights ago, but from the looks of things that wasn't about to happen tonight.

The little cat waited patiently for him to come around, her bottom lip clasped between her teeth as she watched his head tilt from side to side, while his legs straightened out in front of him as he mumbled incoherently.

"Hmm... ow," he whispered, his eyes tightly shut as a grimace of pain crossed his features.

Waiting for Harry to open his eyes was unbearably awkward. Cassie could clearly see that the pirate hadn't quite come to the full conclusion of exactly where he was, or what had happened to him. If she could venture a guess as to what he was feeling, her assumptions only backed up by what she herself had gone through, she had to assume he could only concentrate on the pulsating pain in the back of his head at the moment.

"Wakey, wakey," she sang gently, straightening her posture the second his eyes fluttered open. "Hey there."

Harry's eyes slowly moved about the room, his mind obviously attempting to put the pieces together in its semi-conscious state. "The fuck?" he mumbled sleepily, his head falling forward in a small effort to better survey his surroundings.

"Careful," the little cat warned him, drawing his focus back onto herself. "Don't strain yourself."

"Cassie?" he wondered with great confusion, his brows furrowed.

"Uh-huh," she said with a small shrug.

"Oh for fucks sa-" Harry's half-hearted rambling ended when he let his head fall back against the beam, a large hiss of pain passing through his lips as the tender spot on the back of his head collided with the wood.

Cassie winced with a somewhat sympathetic grimace. That had to hurt.

"What tha fuck did ya hit me with?!" he exclaimed, his bleary eyes zeroing in on her once again.

"Your hook," she replied simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The red pirate chuckled humourlessly. "I thought ya weren' a liar?"

"I'm not!" Cassie frowned, petulantly crossing her arms against her chest. "You asked me if your hook was in the stash, I said it 'should be'. Which was true." Her half-assed attempts at defending her actions wouldn't settle well with the pirate, and she knew it. But she had to at least try, right?

"Oh, ya're a sneaky little prick aren't ya? Jus' wait until I get me hands on yah." His threat would've been more effective if he could keep both eyes open, a physically draining task if his obvious displeasure was anything to go by, and Cassie couldn't quite find the will to tame down her obvious delight in seeing him in such a pained state.

"You should be a little nicer, Harry. After all, _I'm_ not the one tied up, am I?" she said pointedly, a small smirk of happiness tugging at her lips as Harry's eyes widened.

The pirate moved to lunge forward, his actions halted due to the awkward position she'd tied him up in. "Cassie," he growled, his arms tugging against the beam.

"Just think of it this way, at least we're even now," she said joyfully, a small giggle bubbling up in her throat as Harry continued to try, and fail, at breaking the ropes around his wrists. "You knocked me out, I knocked you out. I was tied up, now _you're_ tied up."

"I'm gonna kill ya for this," he swore, eyeing the little cat with distain.

"Probably," she agreed with a small nod. "But not tonight." With a large smile, that Harry returned with a harsh glare, Cassie got to her feet.

"Ya can' seriously think these stupid things are gonna keep me 'ere."

Cassie gave a long winded sigh, her eyes rolling skyward as she feigned deep thought. "I know," she soon replied. "But when they start breaking-" she gestured to his tied wrists, "-I've got more. _But_ they should hold you long enough."

Harry stopped his attempts and raised a single brow. "Long enough for what?" he inquired curiously.

Cassie sucked in a deep breath, rummaging her mind for a reason not to tell him what she was going to do that night. "I have some... loose ends, to tie up," she replied, settling on giving him a little, but not enough. After all, the last thing she needed was to give Harry good motivation to rip out of the ties around his wrists, since it was already high in probability given the strength she could only assume he had.

"Ya're jus' gonna leave me 'ere, unattended?" he wondered. "Bit of a stupid thing ta do."

"Hmm, maybe," she sighed, lightly shaking her head. "Maybe not."

"Oh, it is," he told her, a small chuckle bubbling up through his throat. "I'll be outta these things before ya're back, love."

"You're probably right," she agreed, and the pirate's eyes widened with slight surprise. He didn't think she'd agree with him on that, in truth he'd anticipated a bit of a fight from the little kitty.

"Aye. So what do ya exactly plan on doin' tonight, love?" he asked, hoping to contain the overwhelming curiosity and - though he'd never show it - slight concern he felt at the idea of Cassie 'tying up loose ends', as she'd put it.

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, a small smile lighting up her features. Cassie stepped around Harry's outstretched legs, successfully dodging the pathetic kick he aimed in her direction, and stood behind him.

"Ya min' tellin' me what ya're up to?" he demanded, understandably angered by the idea of having the sneaky little pest somewhere he couldn't see her.

"Just looking for some collateral," she muttered in reply, her small hands smoothing over his neck and down his chest.

On a normal day, preferably one where he wasn't tied and unable to defend himself, Harry could've enjoyed her ministrations. But not now. The little kitty had a reason for her actions, and since he wasn't quite sure what she was hoping to find, he doubled his efforts in tugging at the binds.

"Don't hurt yourself, Hook," she mumbled, her right hand stopping as soon as she felt a familiar object just below his chest. "Oh, there it is," she declared happily, her left hand sliding beneath his torn shirt to grasp the familiar pendant.

"I 'ope ya're enjoyin' yarself there, Cassie," he told her with a scowl, his neck twisting painfully as he attempted to look at her. "Ya're gonna be really disappointed if ya think ya're ever gonna get me like this again."

The Cheshire Cat's daughter merely giggled in response, removing the pocket watch from around his neck. "I am enjoying this," she said, pulling the golden chain over her head.

Cassie toyed with the pendant in her hands and moved to stand in front of Harry once again. She knew he was right: She'd _never_ get him in this position again. It was only by mere luck she'd managed to get him this way tonight. So she knew she had to make this particular night count.

"An' what do ya plan on doin' with that?" he asked with aggravation.

"I'm not monologuing this, Harry. I'm gonna do what I have to do to stay alive, and then I'll be back. Mkay?" With that said, Cassie moved toward the window, a small bounce in her step that irritated the red pirate immensely.

"I 'ope ya're off ta say yar goodbye's, love, 'cause the minute ya get back I'm gonna tear yar pretty throat out," he threatened, his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the little cat.

Cassie perched above the window and - much to Harry's growing anger - gave a small smile. "Bye, bye, _love._ "

~...~...~

In her mission to 'tie up loose ends', Cassie soon wound up outside the salon once again. She wasn't completely sure if the Queen herself would be sleeping or not, but in the end she couldn't quite care. She wanted this sudden chaos in her life over and done with, and Helena was the first name she had to check off her list.

Cassie inhaled a deep and soothing breath, her anxiety kicking up a notch when she found the door to the salon unlocked. She cautiously pushed the door open and crept inside, her dark eyes warily scanning the room for any sign of the Queen of Hearts.

"Helena?" she carefully called out, her voice quieted now that she knew the beautiful teenager had a sleeping baby in the back room.

At the sound of her name being called, the woman herself appeared from behind the red curtain, a small frown playing at her red lips as she stood in the doorway. "Damn, I was kind'a hoping Harry killed you already," she admitted, crossing her arms below her breasts.

"Sorry to disappoint," the little cat said with a small shrug. "Believe me, he feels the exact same way."

"Hmm, I'm sure," the Queen of Hearts said with a humourless laugh. "So, what stupid decision made you think you could come back _here,_ huh?"

Cassie pursed her lips, the small reminder of exactly why she'd come back tonight pushing itself into the front of her mind. "I owe you an explanation, I guess," she replied, toying with the edges of her hair.

"Huh, you don't owe me shit, actually," the other girl pointed out. "But you've got my attention." Helena came further into the room and pulled out one of the salon chairs, her 'perfectionist' ways thrown out the window as she slumped down into the seat ungracefully.

Instead of following in the woman's footsteps, and falling into one of the chairs as well, Cassie stayed where she was. This was only a quick stop before her actual destination, and she had no desire to let her guard down around the Queen again, especially with the aftertaste of whatever she'd been drugged with lingering on the back of her tongue.

"I...uh, I don't know how to get off the Isle," she finally admitted, her dark eyes straying to different parts of the room once Helena's eyes widened. "I don't know anyone on the Isle with magic, either."

Helena nodded slowly and twisted a lock of dark hair around her finger. "But Harry said-"

"Harry doesn't know shit," the little cat said loudly, interrupting the Queen. "Uma and Harry just got this idea in their heads that I know a way off the Isle, or that I know someone capable of taking the barrier down. But I _don't._ "

"Uh...hmm, okay," the Heart girl muttered half-heartedly, her confusion evident. "But why tell them you did? They're not gonna quit looking for you, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know," replied Cassie, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. She leaned against the wall to her right, staring at absolutely nothing as her mind raced with a hundred thoughts.

After a moment or two of silence, the Queen of Hearts spoke up once again. "Why are you telling _me_ this?"

Cassie could do nothing but give a small shrug. She understood Helena's suspicion, especially considering everything that'd happened earlier. But after seeing a rare gleam in the older girls eyes when she looked down at her son, and the viciousness in which she'd handled Cassie earlier on, the little cat had no doubts in her mind that this woman would kill to get herself and her son off of this Island. And with Harry working so hard to find her and knock her down, the Queen of Hearts was an enemy she could truly do without.

"It doesn't matter," she eventually muttered, finally meeting Helena's gaze. "I just thought it was something you should know."

Helena did nothing but nod, her feigned indifference concealing the truth of how she really felt. The little cat wasn't lying, that much she was certain of. After all, why on earth would Cassie come back to the salon and risk being hurt again just to tell a lie? It made no sense, and the younger girl's obvious discomfort in this situation was clear enough that this wasn't something she was doing willingly. But Helena couldn't quite wrap her mind around the exact reason the little cat had come to her with this information, when it'd benefit her more if she went to Uma with it first.

With a deep sigh of thought, Helena stood from her chair and carefully approached Cassie.

"Calm down, pussycat," she urged gently, noting the little ones stiffened movements as she came closer. "I'm just looking."

Cassie tensed, her fingers twitching with worry as the Queen scrutinized her from head to toe. She might have come by to settle things with Helena, but that didn't mean she trusted her, and having someone within close proximity wasn't a desired act.

Meanwhile, Helena ignored the distinct displeasure radiating from the little cat, her eyes casually taking in the little ones appearance.

"W-what are you doing?" wondered Cassie.

"Thinking."

The little cat frowned. "About...?"

"You wear a lot of black," the Queen pointed out randomly. "I guess it's to blend in at night. I'm not gonna ask why your dress is ripped. Thin and tight, probably for easy manoeuvring." Helena's words were odd mutters at this point, and Cassie couldn't withhold her utter bewilderment once she realised what Helena was doing.

"Are you seriously doing this? Like, right now?" she asked, a little disgruntled at the idea of Helena nit-picking her appearance of all things.

"I run a salon, sweetie. I'm always doing this," the Queen said in response, taking a few steps away once she was done with her assessment.

"O...kay," the little cat stammered, her brows furrowed as she eyed the woman in front of her. "Are we done here? 'Cause I have somewhere else I need to be." At the thought of where she had to go next, Cassie's right hand slowly gripped the pocket watch around her neck, a small nausea stirring in her stomach at the thought of facing Uma again.

"Yeah, we're done."

Cassie gave a sigh of relief and nodded, her hand moving to grasp the door handle. "Good."

"Wait," the Queen called quickly, and Cassie paused, her head tilted to show she was listening. "I don't know why you told me all of this, but I have an idea." At that, Cassie met Helena's gaze. "You don't want me coming for you, right?"

"Right," she confirmed with slight reluctance. It was only half of the reason she'd told Helena what she did, but it was the biggest push in bringing her to the salon tonight.

"You don't have to worry about me. As long as what you said wasn't a lie." Helena moved in on Cassie then, and the little cat swallowed down her nerves as she did so. "But if you've lied to me, and you do know a way off this fucking Isle, it won't be me you have to worry about, got it?"

By the dark tone of Helena's voice, Cassie knew full well that this wasn't a threat. It was a promise. And though the little cat's current worries strayed more toward the pirate-side of the Isle, she couldn't ignore the twinge of dread she felt at the mere thought of someone from the inner-Isle tracking her down either.

"I'm not lying," she whispered meekly, praying with every fibre of her being that the older teenager believed her. "I'm not a liar."

The Queen of Hearts stayed silent, observing Cassie's face with slight scrutiny, before she finally gave a nod of acceptance. "Alright."

Cassie's shoulders sagged in visible relief, and she watched as the Heart girl turned and walked back into the salon. "One down," she mumbled, opening the door to the salon, "one to go."

~...~...~

Despite the overwhelming panic rushing through her body, Cassie pushed herself to quicken her movements down to the pirate-side of the Isle. The lightened weight from her shoulders of settling things with Helena had soothed her mind, but only for a moment. The Queen of Hearts had been easy to deal with, but Cassie knew full well that the only reason Helena had been so easy to convince was because they had no bad blood between them. Much to the little cat's dismay, the meetings she'd had with the pirate Captain had been anything but friendly, and Cassie had to prepare herself for any animosity she might have to face tonight.

Travelling to the pirate's turf had been easy enough. She'd only done it twice before, but manoeuvring about on the rooftops made everything much simpler, and both times she'd made the anxiety-inducing journey she'd concentrated fully on the directions she had to take.

The second Cassie inhaled the disgusting odour of salty-air, she knew she was close. In no time at all she found herself staring at the Lost Revenge. But to get to Uma's shoppe, where she could only guess the pirate Captain was, she'd have to lower herself onto common ground, and that in itself was somewhat of a challenge.

After sucking in a deep breath of reassurance, Cassie tentatively climbed down the wooden beams until her feet met the hard ground. She looked left and then right, thinking back on the night Gil had taken her to Uma's shoppe for her challenge with Harry. He'd walked her out of the ship and gone to the left, which meant she now had to go right, and simply follow the path in front of her.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter had only been to this side of the Isle twice, but both times had been filled with life-threatening dangers and unwelcomed sensations. So, naturally, it came as no surprise to Cassie that her heart hammered in her chest, and her inner-voice yelled at her to turn back before she got in too deep. But she _had_ to do this.

Cassie hated to think of it, but she knew with certainty that eventually she and Harry would somehow end each other. And what was worse was that she knew it was all her fault. If she hadn't followed him that night, hadn't gone into the ship, hadn't pushed him to the edge and stolen his pocket watch, none of this would have happened. He was pissed at her, and the following nights had instilled a grudge of some kind in the hooked pirate. There was no way in Hades he was letting her go after this, and Cassie knew she only had one option left to dig herself out of the enormous hole she'd unknowingly thrown herself into.

As she moved across the planked flooring, Cassie's footsteps creaked louder. The rush of water just beneath the floor under feet didn't scare her as much as it did the first time. If anything, it was nothing but a small nuisance to her now. Drowning was a terrifying thought, and it'd always be a great fear of hers, but Harry was number one on her list now, and she'd much rather face the dangerous ocean waters than deal with him again after tonight.

Cassie moved across the unsteady bridge leading into Uma's shoppe, and ignored the questioning and suspicious glare she received from a red-headed woman perched atop a barrel near the doorway, her determination unwavering as she hastily pushed open the doors into the shoppe.

Unlike the last time she'd been unfortunate enough to wind up in the shoppe, the place was far from empty. Numerous pirates were scattered about the tables and chairs, chattering loudly about something or other that Cassie didn't care to know about. Some were eating, some were just talking, and others were wrestling away in the corner of the room, most likely attempting to prove some kind of pathetic dominance over the other. All in all, the shoppe was wildly overcrowded tonight, and Cassie suddenly felt as if she was in way over her head.

"Cassie! Hey!" a familiar voice shouted loudly, and the little cat grimaced.

"Hi Gil," she said quietly, noticing that the son of Gaston had raised more than a few heads with his loud and excited greeting.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with a beaming smile, somehow completely oblivious to the unfriendly attention he'd brought onto the little cat.

"I...uh." Cassie fumbled as she attempted to find a reply, her eyes constantly swaying to the glaring pirates behind him. "I'm looking for Uma," she soon managed to say.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "She's out back, c'mon I'll take you." Without questioning Cassie's motives for being on this side of the Isle, Gil grasped her little hand in his much larger one and pulled her through the shoppe.

As Cassie struggled to keep up with Gil's large steps, she tried hard to ignore the piercing gazes of the pirates around her. They must have known who she was, or they at least had some kind of inclination. After all, her ears were a large give-away as to who she was, and she hadn't forgotten the little 'search party' Harry had thrown together when he'd chased her around the alleyway. These pirates knew exactly who she was, and she was severely outnumbered if they decided they wanted to hurt her.

Cassie held onto Gil's right hand with both of hers, her fingers tightening around his digits. If he felt her vice-like grip, or it bothered him, he didn't say so. He didn't even notice. But Cassie was now in dangerous territory and surrounded by enemies, and the only person to ever show her kindness on this side of the Isle was Gil. So it made sense that she was now gripping onto him like he was her life-line.

They slithered through the crowd and bounced around tables, until eventually Gil managed to pull her through another set of doors and into a kitchen, of sorts.

"Uma, Uma, look," he rambled excitedly, slowing to a stop. "I found Cassie." With a small yank of his hand, the son of Gaston whipped the little cat out from behind him and into his side, his wide and joyfully eyes darting between Cassie and his Captain.

Cassie looked up from the floor, her stomach churning as she faced Uma, whose lips twitched into a sly grin as soon as she saw the little cat.

"Ho-ho-holy hell, you've lost your damn mind," she chuckled nastily, dropping the tray of food she held onto the counter. "I told you not to come back here, pussycat," she continued, placing her hands on her hips.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be," the little cat tersely replied, finally letting go of Gil's hand.

Uma nodded, her dark eyes settling onto Cassie's neck. "I see Harry found you," she noted with mirth, gesturing toward the collar Cassie still wore.

Cassie glared, a mocking smile stretching across her face as she tugged at the pendant around her neck, lifting it for Uma to see. "And I found him."

If things hadn't been threatening enough between the two before, then they certainly were now. Uma's satisfied smile quickly slid from her features, a dark scowl taking its place.

Since the night Cassie had managed to sneak away with his adored object, Harry had worn the pocket watch around his neck consistently. There was no way in hell he was risking losing it again, and Uma could sympathise with that. It was the same reason she constantly wore her shell necklace. He wouldn't be parted with the watch again, and to see it now around the neck of the girl he'd been hunting down for days now... well, it certainly stirred a deep anger and worry in the usually indifferent Captain.

In a split second, Uma grasped the handle of the knife on the counter and held it to Cassie's throat, just underneath the collar Harry had so carefully chosen for her.

"Where the fuck is my first mate?" she demanded.

Cassie stayed still as yet another blade pressed into her skin, her eyes flickering to the side as the cook made herself scarce. "He's alive, and he's safe," she assured, raising both hands in a 'white flag' motion.

"Where. Is. He?" the Captain said once more.

Cassie chewed hard at her bottom lip, struggling to keep a steady gaze with the Captain. Uma could very well slit her throat right now, and she had more than twenty pirates outside ready and willing to help her throw Cassie's body into the ocean afterward. But Cassie had a small inkling that the girl wouldn't do so until she knew exactly where Harry was, and if he was even alive.

"I'm not telling you shit until you get that knife away from me," she sternly replied.

The awkward silence carried on, the loud voices and noises from the other room drowned out by the relentless rush of adrenaline oozing from both girls. Cassie kept her dark eyes steadily locked with Uma's, knowing that even a small glance away would mean surrender. And, when she was convinced the little cat wasn't going to back down, Uma reluctantly withdrew the knife from Cassie's throat, only able to enjoy the trickle of blood for a moment before her concern for her first mate fled into the front of her mind.

"There. Now, where is he?" the Captain asked again, her voice quieted, but still laced with annoyance and distain.

"He's fine," sighed Cassie, lightly dabbing at the wound with her fingers. "He's alive, and I haven't hurt him...much." The little cat realised her mistake when Uma's eyes widened, and her fingers gripped the handle of the knife she was still holding. "I had to knock him out, but he's fine. He was threatening me as I left, if that helps." Cassie knew her words were nothing but incoherent to Uma's ears, she was so clearly worried about her first mate that his whereabouts was all she cared about right now.

"Why are you here, then? Why not just kill him?" she inquired, greatly puzzled by Cassie's decision to not kill Harry and spare herself any more pain.

"I'm not a killer," the little cat said simply, and with a small shrug. "If I had to, and I didn't have another choice, I would. But I haven't."

Uma gave a slow nod, still not completely understanding Cassie's thoughts on the matter. "What makes you think you have another choice now?" she countered, toying with her pendant. "I could kill you now." As if to prove a point, Uma held out the knife once more, but this time she pushed the sharpened tip against Cassie's stomach. "No one would care. Not even Harry. He wants first dibs, but I don't think he'd mind all that much."

"Then do it," the little cat challenged with a raised brow, gently moving her body into the knife. "There's no way in Hades you're gonna find him. I've got him tied up, with no way of breaking out." That was a lie. She was almost certain Harry would be out of those binds by the time she got home, but Uma didn't need to know that. "You might know your way around this side of the Isle, Uma. But you don't know shit about _my_ hunting grounds. You'll never find him without me."

As Uma pondered the little cat's words, Cassie mentally praised herself for staying so strong. In truth, she was terrified. Of Uma, and the pirates, and everything they were capable of doing to her tonight if things went south. She'd kept her voice strong for the most part, and her stance firm even when held at knife point... again. All in all, Cassie was rather pleased with how well she was keeping it all together.

"You wanna make another deal, I'm guessin'," the Captain said with a long-winded sigh, her lips forming an annoyed pout at the realisation.

"Yup," chirped Cassie, clasping her hands together in front of her.

Uma rolled her eyes and huffed, the fingers of her left hand gently soothing her temple. "Get out of here, Gil."

Cassie flinched as the son of Gaston, who she'd completely forgotten had stuck around even after the cook had left, quickly rushed out of the kitchen, the doors slamming shut behind him.

"Not here," said Uma, dropping the knife onto the countertop with a sharp clatter. "Follow me." She untied the apron from around her waist and placed it on top of the same counter, strolling by the little cat and toward the doors.

With no choice but to follow, Cassie did so... with a little hesitation. Being away from all the pirates outside calmed her already frazzled nerves, but that didn't diminish the threat completely. Uma was a pirate, and if that wasn't bad enough, she was a _Captain._ Cassie had absolutely no idea how one earned the title on this side of the Isle, but she could only guess it had to be won. Uma was short, much like the little cat herself, and she was far from muscular. Yet somehow, and in ways Cassie couldn't even attempt to think of, the teal-haired V.K. had worked her way up to the top, and that in itself made her a very, very large threat.

Cassie lingered behind Uma as they moved through the darkened hallway. She stalled slightly as they walked by a cave-like entrance, with steps leading down around a corner, and beautiful shadows of light blue reflecting on the walls.

"I wouldn't go down there if I were you," the Captain called out, and Cassie lifted her head. Uma still continued on, somehow knowing that the little cat would be entranced by the mysteries down in the cave.

Cassie shrugged away the odd, unsettling feeling she endured at the entrance of the cave, and rushed to catch up with Uma. "What's down there?" she asked curiously, earning a chuckle from the other girl.

"Someone worse than me." Uma's answer was vague, leaving the majority to Cassie's imagination alone. And when the little cat came to the conclusion that only one person would hide away in a watery cave, she decided it was best to let that nagging push to go and investigate fade completely.

They travelled further down until Uma came to another, but normal, door. She pulled on the handle and entered, holding onto the edge of the door so that it didn't bounce back into Cassie's face - much to the little cat's surprise.

Cassie came into the room and let the door shut behind her, a strong smell of fish flowing through her nostrils. Unlike the salty air the ocean provided, she found this particular scent wasn't as unwelcome as the other, in fact she kind of liked it.

Uma turned and perched herself atop a near box, gesturing to another beside it. "Sit."

With a cautious glance in the teal-haired girls direction, Cassie moved to sit on top of the other crate, shuffling around until she put as much distance as she could between herself and Uma.

"So," the Captain groaned, leaning back on her hands. "What do you want?"

"I just want all of this to end," said Cassie, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "All this back-and-forth crap with me and Harry, it can't keep happening. It should've stopped after the challenge, but he came for me again." Her brows raised as she eyed Uma, the accusation clear.

"You took his Hook," the teal-haired girl pointed out. "You should've known better, pussycat."

"I wanted to hurt him!"

"Oh, you did." Uma chuckled. "But Harry doesn't get hurt. He just gets really, really angry."

"No shit," the little cat mumbled, lightly shaking her head.

Uma stayed silent, a small smirk tugging at her lips, until she eventually spoke up. "Okay, listen up," she urged, and Cassie nodded. "You snuck onto our turf and into our ship, and you took Harry's watch, and then got away with it."

"Not really," she objected, her nose wrinkling in annoyance. "He chased me down, remember? Knocked me out, kept me in a cell, gave me a good mind-fuck around the same time." The list of everything offensive she'd had done to her by Harry was growing larger, and she was struggling to see the point Uma was trying to make.

"Didn't you claw his face?" the Captain fired knowingly, and Cassie groaned.

"He was being an asshole!"

"You took his father's watch." Uma tutted then, wiggling her index finger from left to right. "You don't get off easy for something like that."

Cassie gave a small sigh of acceptance. She _had_ started this war, after all.

"When you challenged him and tried to take my necklace, that should've been the end of it. But you just had to go and prove a point, so you took his hook that night."

Cassie scoffed. "So what?"

" _So,_ you took the thing that gives him his name. The one thing he can't seem to live without. Something he had to fight his daddy for."

At that last sentence, Cassie gaped, a large lump of nausea growing in the back of her throat. She'd only ever heard of Captain Hook, and from the whispers on the street the man was as deadly and ruthless as they came. Harry hadn't inherited his hook, or been given it as she had with her cat ears, he'd had to actually fight his father to get it.

"I thought it was some kind of knock-off," she whispered, as if her attempts of defending her actions would actually help her in some way.

"Nu-uh," the Captain said back, fiddling with one of her long braids. "Captain Hook had four Hooks. The one on his hand, and three he kept locked away in a chest. They were for his kids, obviously, but they had to work for their hooks. If they wanted them anyway.

"Harriet, Harry's older sister, stole hers. I don't know the details, but she has her own. And C.J., Harry's baby-sister, ran off without even trying to get her hook. Can't say I blame her, though. But Harry?" Uma leaned forward and shook her head. "Harry had a point to prove. He's not a coward, or a thief, and he had it way harder than those girls. He fought his dad for it. He went against the only person he's ever been scared of and he won. But he didn't leave that ship without a scratch."

Cassie listened intently to what Uma was saying, hooked on her every single word. However, she couldn't understand why Uma thought to tell her such a large - and possibly gruesome - detail about Harry.

"Why did you tell me that?" she quietly asked, her trembling fingers holding onto the edge of the crate.

"Because I wanted to see that reaction, Cassie," the Captain explained, a fear-inducing smile playing at her lips. "That moment where you realised exactly who you stole from, what it means to him, and how bad things are gonna be for you from here on out. Your fate was sealed the second you walked out of here with that hook, pussycat."

Cassie paled, the hairs along her skin raising with utter dread. "I-I wanna make a deal," she stammered.

"You're not getting it," said Uma. "I'm not his owner, Cassie, I'm just his Captain. The only reason he's keeping you alive is because he thinks you can get us a way off of this fucking Isle."

At Uma's declaration, Cassie frowned and lowered her eyes, the dirty floor beneath their feet suddenly much more easier to look at. But in doing so, the teal-haired Captain had caught on to the slightly shameful look on the little cat's face, and that look only pointed her in one direction.

"Cassie," she breathed, her mind coming to the exasperating conclusion that she may have been wrong since the beginning. "Did someone on the Isle curse you?" If she had been wrong in her assumptions, then it meant facing Harry's teasing for at least a month. He did love being right, after all.

"Harry's gonna keep coming after me, right?" the little cat diverted, her dark eyes glittering with unshed tears as she looked at Uma. "No matter what kind of deal I make with you tonight, he's not gonna stop?" It was stupid of her to ask questions she already knew the answers to, but hearing it from someone else well and truly sealed it.

"If you'd walked away with his watch after the challenge, like he told you to, you might have had a shot. But not now. Too much water under the bridge."

Cassie hummed in acknowledgement, disappearing into her mind for a moment or two. "Me knowing someone on the Isle with magic, does that get me out of this?" she eventually asked.

Uma shook her head. "Nope. When you left the shoppe, I told Harry that, no matter what, he could do what he wanted to you. We can find another way off this Island, however long that takes."

"If that's the case, then why did Harry ask me that tonight?" the cat inquired.

"My guess? He was giving it one last shot. I'm surprised he didn't get an answer," the Captain responded, slowly crossing her arms as she raised a questioning brow in Cassie's direction.

"He gave it a go, but I managed to sway him away from the idea," she explained, thinking back on her time with Harry in the salon earlier that night.

"I guess so." Uma didn't press for further detail, and for that Cassie was partly grateful. "So, you still wanna make this deal?"

Cassie, her eyes scanning the room as she thought on the idea. "I'm thinking you're the wrong person to make a deal with," she soon replied.

"You're right with that one," the other girl agreed with a sharp nod.

"A-are you gonna let me leave?"

"Hmm, I guess so," the Captain said with a small shrug, raising to her feet. "I have a small feeling I know what you're gonna do tonight, and you know the risks. Besides, Harry would be real disappointed if someone here killed you. I'll leave it up to him."

~...~...~

The journey home was emotionally gruelling, and each step her feet made grew heavier the closer she got to Bargain Castle. It pained her that the usual relief and warmth she felt at going back to her den was now tainted, instead replaced with an unwavering and nauseating sensation of terror. If she could think of anywhere else to go, she'd have gone in that direction instead, but Cassie had made the decision to stay alone since her father left and there was no one on the Isle she could turn to for safety tonight.

As Uma said, she'd been free to leave the shoppe without any interruption from its 'guests'. The Captain had made sure to take back Harry's pocket watch, and told Cassie that if Harry wasn't back by tomorrow she'd have the entire crew out looking for her.

Cassie now faced two options. If she went home and killed Harry, a choice she wasn't entirely determined to make, she'd live for a few more days, maybe weeks if she was lucky enough. But eventually Uma would learn what'd happened to her first mate and friend, and the entire pirate crew would be out for revenge. _Or_ , Cassie could go with her other option and let Harry leave her den. He'd go back to his Captain and crew, and Cassie wouldn't have to constantly worry about them coming for her. But the chances of Harry offing her tonight were high in probability, and Uma knew it too.

The little cat had been handed a double-edged sword. Kill Harry, die by the hands of the pirates. Let Harry go, and let him decide her fate. Neither option gave Cassie a fighting chance, and she had only herself to blame for it.

Bargain Castle came into her sights sooner than she was comfortable with, and Cassie silently wondered if this was how others on the Isle felt when Maleficent and Mal still occupied the building. Did all the others have that overwhelming sickness in their throat when they approached? Did their entire body tremble at the very thought of facing the people inside? Maleficent had somehow been labelled the Queen of all Villains, and ruler of the Isle, and her name instilled a great fear within every Isle resident even now. But to Cassie, she'd been nothing more than the whiny woman who lived downstairs, and Mal the snobby brat following in her mothers footsteps.

Cassie made the familiar trek up the stairs, her movements slow and light in an attempt to avoid alerting the angered pirate stuck in her den. She had to pause when she came to the end of the balcony, her palms tingling with warning as they gripped the metal fencing. Her fight-or-flight instincts had never been more erratic, the impending doom taking its toll on both her body and mind.

Instead of crossing over the fence and heading up toward her den, Cassie took this moment to gather herself. She turned to the right and stared out at the faint lights illuminating the Isle, two sides of her mind waging war inside her head once again.

If she made the decision to take the cowardly way out, and leave Harry inside the den tonight, she'd have the rest of the night and all day tomorrow to find another home. He'd figure out a way to climb down by himself and he'd be back at Uma's shoppe by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. In that amount of time, Cassie could roam around the Isle and find a new place, possibly further away from pirate territory. No one would know her, and it would be new ground for her to explore and discover 'special things'. But even if she moved away, the worry of Harry finding her would never fade, and the idea of spending the rest of her life constantly looking over shoulder didn't sound too pleasing.

 _'But at least you'll be alive,'_ her inner-voice pointed out, and Cassie agreed wholeheartedly. She _would_ be alive, after all. And she spent her nights looking over her shoulder anyway. So, realistically, it couldn't get any worse.

On the other hand, leaving tonight meant leaving all the 'special things' she'd brought in since her dad disappeared. All the little trinkets and treasures she'd worked so hard to bring home would - most likely - be taken by Harry. If she walked away now, every single thing in the den would be his, and it would be a clear sign to everyone that he'd won this war against her.

 _'He's already won,_ ' her mind reminded her, and Cassie couldn't help the grimace that crossed her features. Scaring her out of her home and taking her valuables would only stall him for so long. After what she'd done to him, despite the fact it didn't even come close to what he'd done to her, there was no way in Hades he was letting her get away that easily. She guessed that until he'd publicly, and probably viciously, cut her down for all to see he'd never be satisfied. Like the horrific curse she was already tortured by, she'd be free to do as she pleased for just a few hours, but eventually he'd come back around and torment her again.

If Cassie took that leap and decided to actually face Harry tonight, she could end all of it. Maybe she could make a deal with him, or maybe he'd finally come through and kill her. She'd either have the reassurance of knowing exactly what she faced the next night, or she'd never have to worry about him again. And maybe she'd be able to give him a good fight while she was at it. It'd give her a good thought to go out with, at the very least.

"Damn it," she hissed in frustration, resting her elbows on the railing as she gripped her hair. She had to make a decision and she had to make it now.

A loud _bang_ sounded from behind her, and before Cassie had a chance at turning to see what it was, or even sprinting down the stairs, her arms were pinned to her sides, and she was quickly dragged back into the usually uninhabited bedroom.

Cassie cried out and thrashed in the unknown intruders tight hold, digging her fingernails into their arms as the doors to the balcony slammed shut. Her feet moved frantically against the floor, stomping down in the hopes she'd make contact with her attackers foot. But much to the little cat's dismay, she wasn't near strong enough to inflict any kind of pain on this person with her feet, so she settled on clawing her long nails down their arms in the hopes that would do it, using every ounce of the little strength she had to do so.

The person behind her released a bellow of pain, and Cassie yelped as she was dropped to the floor, a severe ache radiating through her knees and hands as she landed.

Instead of turning around to see who the person was, Cassie focussed entirely on getting away first. She attempted to crawl toward to the door to the hallway, only to have her plans of survival thwarted when her attacked delivered a brutally hard kick to her stomach and ribs.

Cassie groaned, the force from the kick knocking her over onto her back. Her stomach ached, and her knees stung, but the adrenaline pulsating through her small form clouded her pain for the time being. The moment she was on her back she threw out her legs, knowing full well the second her attacked climbed on top of her she'd be done.

A hard grunt came from the person in front of her, letting Cassie know her flailing legs had succeeded, and she quickly rolled back over onto her hands and knees, her inner-voice frantically shouting for her to get toward the door.

Cassie managed to crawl a few paces ahead, but in a few seconds her attacker had quickly shaken off her attempt at wounding them, and the thudding vibration and sound of their footsteps coming in close taunted the little cat to the brink of insanity. Her legs were pulled out from underneath her, her knees scraping painfully against the floor as her support was forcefully removed, and the attacker grasped a handful of her hair in one hand.

As if her body sensed the oncoming attack, Cassie clenched her eyes shut, her hands still firmly holding her upper body in the air as if they would help in some way. But her unknown attacker was stronger than she was, and the force they used to pound her forehead against the floor greatly outweighed the little stability she currently held in her already trembling arms.

The movement was quick and precise, though the aftermath was everything but. The continuous and unbearable ache in the centre of her forehead dizzied the little cat, her vision temporarily fading from blurry images to nothing but darkness. She whined in agony and protest as the attacker let go of her hair and rolled her over onto her back once more, drifting in and out of consciousness as she fought to look up at the face of her attacker.

Whoever this person was, they didn't make a sound to give away exactly who they were, and in her vulnerable state it took Cassie's head a good few seconds to come to a successful guess.

"Damn it," she whimpered in defeat, her chest rising and falling as she sucked in deep and laboured breaths.

The red pirate chuckled at her flustered appearance, and kneeled, his right hand placed beside her head to keep his body away from her, while the left held a familiar point against the side of her neck.

"Hello kitty, kitty."

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

First of all, I have to apologise that it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been dealing with a bad case of writers-block, and real-life issues have been getting in the way, but they shouldn't be a problem for a good while now.

This chapter's pretty chaotic, I guess. Cassie's trying to avoid making new enemies, and trying to settle things with old ones, but obviously that's not helping.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

Lola Vegas; :D :D

Muddy Birdy; Thank you for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter. And yes, this story is mostly going to be centred on Harry and Cassie both trying to trust each other, only to throw it all away in the next moment. Cassie won't willingly hurt another person, but when it comes down to it her self-preservation comes out on top. Eventually the two are going to like each other, but there's still a few chapters to go before that happens, and I hope you stick around for it.

And yes, Cassie does take full advantage over the code the pirates live by, but they're the only things giving her security with them for the time being, so it makes sense for her to use it against them.

mollichine; Firstly, thank you for your review. I know Cassie is basically humiliating Harry at this point, but it's a constant back-and-forth thing with these two now and in future chapters. They're always going to try and one-up the other in any way they can.

Carrera; Thank you for the review! I'm glad you like Cassie. And I agree, they would be a good team when together. But at the moment they're pretty dead-set on hurting each other. But eventually they may wind up having to work with the other, so I hope you stick around to read it.

Shipperandfanficer15; Thank you for your review, I'm happy you're enjoying the story. :)

dragonheartlies; Thank you for the review, and I'm so glad you're enjoying this story!

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And much love to all those who've favourited and followed as well, you guys are amazing!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through. If you notice any, feel free to let me know. Thanks!)


	10. The Bad Guy

AN;

Hello my lovely readers! Just a small Author's Note before we begin this chapter...

On the last chapter, I had a reviewer say that they were kind of unhappy, I guess, with the way this story was going. I'm not trying to force anyone to read my fics, I'm just happy to have people that enjoy it and want to read it, and are lovely enough to leave me a review on what they think of the story. But I'm going to give you guys the basics on this story (without any future chapter spoilers) so that you know what you're in for. I don't want any of you to be happy with the way things are going only to be disappointed as we delve further into things. It's a big waste of your time, and I really don't want to receive any reviews about unhappy readers.

(Please note, if you're completely content with how things are so far, then feel free to skip this AN. But if you're still kind'a not sure if you're into it or not, then stick around, and maybe I can help with that.)

Okay, so, first things first. I should really point out that my stories are my ideas on how things on an Island full of villains would be like. If you want the friendly content with a happy-ending that's actually in the Disney movies, then this isn't for you. This story is T+ for a reason, and I always make extra sure to put warnings at the beginning of a chapter to give my readers a heads-up.

The relationship between Harry and Cassie...well, it's messed up (believe me, I know that). I don't condone this kind of behaviour in real-life, but this is fanfiction, so I can pretty much do what I want with it. The amount of violence between the two so far will tame down eventually, if not soon. Please keep in mind that, in this fanfiction, they live on an Island prison full of villains who've committed, or attempted, pretty unforgivable acts. They've been raised in a dog-eat-dog society. It's a constant fight for survival on the Isle in this story, where even the children are capable of hurting people. And I should point out that the children of the villains have a lot more to prove than the elders, so they're just as - if not more, ruthless and cruel than their parents. Hurting, humiliating and doing so much more to others is how they were raised (Cassie aside, in a way) and it's all they know how to do. It's like a shoot first and ask questions later kind of thing. So, though the start of Cassie and Harry's relationship is brutal, their behaviour is considered (at least to people on the Isle) normal.

As for the Angst/Romance category I've put on it, when I put slow-burn in the summary, I really did mean it. The Romance is an eventual thing. It's not coming through right away, Harry and Cassie still have a lot of development to go through before they reach that target. I'm not trying to mislead anyone by throwing 'Romance' in the story category, it will come into things eventually.

Okay, so, if after all of this ^ you guys still want to carry on reading this story, then that's wonderful. But if you don't then that's perfectly fine too. I don't want to disappoint any of the followers further down the line, so if you have any more questions about this story then feel free to throw me a PM.

Warnings;

. Swearing  
. Angst  
. A little bit of torture I guess  
. Violence  
. Suicidal thoughts? (I'm just covering all bases here.)

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 _'This is it,'_ she thought with a saddened frown: This was how she was going to die. On the hard, cold bedroom floor of a turn-coat. If that wasn't bad enough, it was going to be at the hands... well, _hook,_ of a damned pirate.

 _'Then again,'_ the other side of her mind countered: There were worse ways to die. Beaten to death in the middle of an alleyway had always been her most thought-of way to go out, especially considering her nightly routine of 'special-thing-finding'. The idea of dying in her feline form had always disheartened her, and it was one of the many reasons she was so cautious when in her 'other' state. If she was going to go out, she'd do it in the body she was born in, _not_ in the one she was cursed with each and every night. So, in truth, dying in the building she'd always felt the most at peace, and in her normal body, really had to be the best way for her to go.

If only the man about to send her to the other side didn't look so damn pleased about it.

"What's goin' through that pretty little head of yars, love?" he inquired, having noticed the faraway gaze in her eyes and the small twitch of a smile on her lips.

"I'm thinking," she whispered with a shaky voice, the ability to breathe tampered by the overwhelming ache in her side. "You're gonna kill me, and I don't care." She ended her sentence with a light, but not forced, giggle, the simple act of joy enhancing the pain in her middle region.

Harry recoiled, his brows furrowed in thought as he stared down at the little cat. She had to be delirious, the small gash in the centre of her forehead muddling up that strange mind of hers. But he hadn't hit her _that_ hard, had he?

"What're ya blubberin' on about now, little kitty?" he asked, his eyes darting between her own and the wound he'd given her only seconds ago.

Cassie sighed, twitching her head to the side as she looked up at Harry. "I. Don't. Care," she repeated, the innocent-like smile on her lips never fading from her face. "You think dying is the scariest thing, Harry?" It wasn't a question, but even if it was he had absolutely no idea what to reply to it. "It's not. Living in the shadows, no one knowing who you are or that you're even there? Now that's worse."

When she laughed again, Harry wasn't quite sure what to do. Her reaction to him now was only caused by the gash on her head, most likely a lingering after effect of having ones head smashed against a floorboard. There was no way she was ready to die yet, not after the chase she'd given him since they'd met. If she wanted to die, she wouldn't have legged it with his pocket watch. If she wanted to die, she wouldn't have fought back when he caught her in the maze. She wouldn't have challenged him for her freedom, hid for two days afterward, and then knocked him out and tied him up if she didn't have just an ounce of fight left. Cassie didn't want to die, not really.

Harry groaned and put a little more pressure on his hook, the pointed tip lightly piercing her skin. He wanted the fear, the panic, the horror-filled wide eyes of someone who knew there time was up. Hell, even another fight would do it for him. He wanted... no, _needed,_ some kind of reaction from her. Otherwise what was the point?

Cassie gasped when she felt it. The sharp, barely-there sting in the side of her neck. She'd felt it many times over the passing days, and though a breath caught in her throat the exact same way it did all those other times, she knew with certainty that _this_ time was different.

"Do it." She surprised him, and herself, when she obediently raised her chin, the back of her head screaming in protest as she bared her throat to him.

The little voice in the back of Cassie's mind yelled obscenities, screamed at her to stop being such an idiot and just fight back. But unlike the other times where she laid down and listened, she decided to shut it up for once. She'd done her fighting, and running, and hiding. Where had it gotten her? The special things only satisfied her for a day, or two at the most. After that she was hungry again, and roaming around the inner-isle for something else to distract her. She spent her days as a cat, and though it had its good moments, it was far from pleasurable. And her nights were short and uneventful, dark thoughts taunting her with loneliness and a longing for a life she could never have. She ached for another person to share this tragic prison-life with, but was too afraid and insecure to go looking for one. She wanted people to know her name and what she was capable of, but shrank back at the very thought of people knowing exactly who she was. Cassie wanted to live rather than just survive, but that just wasn't an option.

"You need some encouragement?" she voiced her sudden assumption, knowing full well how easy Harry was to push, and that it wouldn't take her long. "Hmm, okay, I can do that," she muttered, more toward herself than him. "Alright, lets see if this does it for you-"

"Shut it, kitty," he murmured, but she ignored him. Either that, or she didn't hear him.

"I stole your daddy's watch," she continued. "Right out from under you. And I kind'a wonder how that felt, y'know? To have something so important to you taken away. _And_ I clawed you right in your pretty face, in front of your little crew. I'll bet your ego took a pretty big hit after that, huh? A little thing like me catching the infamous Harry Hook off guard."

"Cassie," he seethed, louder this time. He knew exactly what she was doing, or trying to do, and it pissed him off that it actually seemed to be working. Cassie was voicing every single thing she'd done to him since they'd met, adding her own little comment on things to rile him up faster. And while he longed for the sight of seeing her little throat sliced open by his hook, Harry still couldn't quite wrap his mind around the idea that she actually _wanted_ him to do it.

"I beat you at a challenge you've never lost, remember? I pushed you right to the edge, and then brought that needle down on your hand. And then..." She was still adamant on bringing him to that edge again, and ridiculously eager to push him over it, apparently. "I nearly walked out with your _best friends_ necklace." Cassie released a taunting laugh, her nose wrinkling in a small grimace as it strained her ribs. "I had you begging me that night. If I really wanted to, I could've had you on your fucking knees."

As if Harry's hand had a mind of it's own, his wrist twisted slowly, a small line of blood flowing down her neck. It would be so easy to do it. He'd done it before. One quick movement of his arm and the little pest was done, and out of his life for good. _'Just a little harder,'_ his mind sang, conjuring a perfectly clear scene for him in his twisted head.

Cassie groaned and gently shuffled around on the floor, her dark eyes meticulously searching Harry's face. He was hesitating, that much was obvious enough. But why?

"You need more, Harry?" she asked, utterly confused as to why he was dragging this out. He shouldn't be hesitating. Hell, he should've done it already. What the hell was she supposed to do, hold the hook steady for him? Here she was, offering herself up to him on a silver platter and he was _hesitating._

"No," the pirate grunted, and Cassie's eyes widened as he pushed himself up straight. "I need ya ta shut tha fuck up for two bloody minutes."

The little cat gaped, unable to do anything except watch and wait for him to come around. Obviously her bewilderment in this situation was understandable. He'd been adamant, and perfectly vocal, on killing her since she'd gone running with his damned pocket watch. So what the hell was taking him so long?

"Seriously," she spat, her eyes narrowed in absolute outrage. "You've been chasing me down since we met, desperate to kill me. So what's the fucking problem?!"

Harry glowered down at the little cat. "I _said s_ hut. Up."

Cassie's lips twisted into a displeased frown, and she quickly shoved his hooked hand away from her neck with a quick swipe of her own left hand.

The next move she made wasn't done with a clear mind. In fact, she wondered if his previous attack had left her a little tapped in the head... if she hadn't been already. All she could feel was anger, flowing through her veins and quickening her heart. If he wouldn't do this one simple thing on his own, she'd have to do it herself, before her rational thought clouded her mind with thoughts of fleeing and surviving.

Harry had been in a rather unbalanced position already, with both knees on either side of the little cat and his upper body lightly tilted backwards, and he wasn't planning on her becoming so defensive at the idea of him re-thinking his plans of ending her. So when Cassie growled and - much to the protest of her middle section - leapt up onto him, he went tumbling like a sack of mouldy potatoes.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she demanded, her smaller body now mirroring how his was only seconds before.

Harry released a pained moan as the back of his head, still a little sore from Cassie's earlier actions, collided with the floor. It took him a moment or two to fully grasp what had _just_ happened, and when he did he couldn't help the chuckle that snuck its way up through his throat.

"I was laying here, giving you a _huge_ opportunity to do me in and you were thinking about it." Cassie shook her head in disbelief, her long hair swaying with the movement. "I won't fight back, and I won't run. You _want_ to kill me, Harry. What's there to think about?!" she yelled, her frustration toward him only growing when she saw how strangely amused he was with her.

"There're lots a things ta think about, love," he replied, carefully adjusting the hook in his hand. She was no threat to him right now, but if things got a little hectic he was ready for her.

Cassie huffed and rolled her eyes. "Like what?" she asked, her fingernails lightly scratching at the wooden floorboards beneath her hands.

A sharp yelp passed through the little cat's lips when, in a swift movement of tangled limbs and distorted vision, she wound up with her back on the floor once again.

"Harry," she groaned, her right hand gently pressed against her forehead as she attempted to fight away the dizzy spell. "I'm not playing games with you. Just get on with it already."

"Aww, little kitty." Harry tutted, his lips forming a mocking pout. "Ya've been so... _fun_ , ta play with up till now. What's changed, love?" It was rather intriguing, really. She'd put up quite the fight since they met, so there had to be a very, very good reason she was being so submissive now. And he couldn't possibly kill her without knowing why.

"I'm just... done," she whispered in reply. "I'm good at running but this is ridiculous." Cassie quickly averted her gaze to the darkness behind him, an exasperated sigh coming through her lips. "Why do you care anyway?" She had to divert the uncomfortable line of questioning before she did something stupid. This wasn't a confession, and he wasn't her friend. He didn't _need_ to know why she was letting him do this, he just had to fucking do it.

Harry rolled his eyes skyward for a moment, before he gave her a small shrug. "Dunno, guess I don'." He looked back down at the little cat, a mischievous grin stretching across his face when he saw the confusion in her dark eyes. "But I'm not so keen on killin' ya anymore."

Cassie frowned as numerous red flags sprung up in the back of her mind. People like Harry didn't bounce between the idea of killing someone that'd hurt them in some way. They either wanted to kill, or they didn't; No in-between. There was a reason he wasn't going to kill her tonight, and despite her anxious mind reassuring her that she didn't need to know what it was, she couldn't help but feel curious.

"Look at yarself right now, Cassie," he began, quickly running his tongue along his bottom lip. "On yar back, beggin' me ta kill ya. No fightin' an' no fussin', jus' ready an' willin' ta accept yar fate. After everythin' ya've done so far, love, it really makes me think 'bout yar sudden...obedience.

"Now, from everythin' ya've told me so far, I can put tha pieces together. Dad up an' leaves ya, decides ta go about on his own an' let his lovely little kitty deal with the curse she got from him on 'er own. Ya got no friends aroun' ya, no one ta talk to. Ya live all alone in this borin' place, nothin' but stolen jewels ta call yar own." Harry immediately raised his hook to Cassie's throat when she growled in warning, her upper body barely making its way off of the floor before he forced her back down again.

"You sound like you're trying to make a point," she said shakily, doing her best to hide the overwhelming hurt and sadness she'd felt with each correct statement he made about her.

"I'm gettin' there," he muttered, absentmindedly smoothing strands of hair away from her face with his hook. "Ya're absolutely miserable with yar life, aren't ya? Makes sense that ya would be, an' I reckon that's why ya wan' me ta kill ya. Ya wan' me ta end it for ya, love?" He hummed, sliding his hook back down toward her neck. "I can take it all away. Tha pain, sufferin', loneliness; All of it."

Cassie bit down on her bottom lip as she felt the familiar sting in the side of her neck, her dark eyes staring at the space above his head as she waited patiently for him to finally do what they both wanted.

" _But,_ " he drawled, abruptly withdrawing his hook. "If I do this, I wouldn' be doin' it for _me_ now would I? I'd be doin' it for _you._ Ya wanna die so bad, love, that I don' wanna kill ya."

Harry watched, and waited, with morbid fascination as Cassie slid the puzzle pieces into place, her facial features twisting from confused, to thoughtful, to worried, and then - much to Harry's sick pleasure - understanding.

When Cassie's wounded mind eventually came to conclusion of why Harry was rather unwilling to kill her, she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh, cry, or claw his face again. Any normal person would be relieved to know that they would live to see another day, but Cassie was far from normal, and her life was so painfully lonely and repetitive that she couldn't feel relief. And it irritated her more than anything to know she was giving him exactly what he wanted.

"Killin' ya would be doin' ya a favour, Cassie," he told her, gently shaking his head as he gave a sigh of disappointment. "An' as interestin' as it sounds ta play 'hero', I just _love_ bein' the bad guy in this story."

"You're such a..." her muttered voice trailed into a long breath, her mind scrounging for an offensive word big enough to describe Harry right now. But she couldn't find one.

"No need ta thank me, love. I know yar grateful," he taunted, and Cassie gave a scoff of indignation. "Ya _should_ be happy 'bout this. Are ya happy with it, Cassie?" The dangerous glint in his eyes told her more than she needed to know, and his lengthy explanation as to why he wasn't killing her gave Cassie a small insight into Harry's evil mind.

Boring, lonely, painful, and unbearable: Her life summarized in four words. If it stayed that way then she'd stay alive, with Harry getting his kicks at the mere thought of her suffering. But if, in some miraculous way, all of that changed, and Cassie actually started to enjoy her time on the Isle, he'd come straight for her.

When he told her he was going to 'ruin' her, he must've really meant it.

"Get. Out," she hissed, an enormous wave of emotion coming down against her chest. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her devastation. He'd seen enough as it is.

Instead of another hateful comment, or twisted sentence of some kind, Harry gave in and did as she 'asked', moving out from between her legs and rising to his feet. He'd done what he wanted, and though he hadn't killed the little cat as he'd planned, letting her live would be so much more satisfying.

Cassie groaned as she moved up into a seated position, her fingers gently prodding at her forehead. It still hurt, but after the last few days she had to assume her pain-tolerance had kicked up a notch, since the overbearing pounding in her head had now dulled into an uncomfortable ache. She didn't like it, but she could handle it.

 _'If only everything else worked that way,'_ she thought, her other hand feeling for a stable surface to help her get up onto her feet.

"Jus' outta simple curiosity, love, why didn' ya kill me?" the pirate asked from his spot near the doorway. "I mean, ya had _two_ chances ta do somethin', so why didn' ya?"

Cassie stumbled her way over to the double-bed in the corner of the room, her left arm wrapped around her ribs and stomach. She perched at the edge of the bed and pulled her hair out of her face and over her right shoulder, a small flicker of pain crossing her features as her side ached.

The idea of telling someone like Harry that she hadn't killed him because she couldn't bring herself to do it was - in the simplest terms - embarrassing as hell. He obviously had no problem following through with the big 'M', if she didn't count tonight anyway, and someone as twisted as him would never understand it. Taking the life of another person was the worst act a villain could commit, and while Harry was clearly pure evil, she didn't quite fall into the same category.

"I don't know," she eventually replied, blankly staring at the space between them. "I just couldn't do it."

After a moment or two of silence, Cassie fidgeted uncomfortably when Harry moved toward her, her hands quickly grasping at the sheets beneath her as she shuffled back onto the bed.

"Calm down, little kitty." Harry huffed as he stood directly in front of her. "I'm not gonna kill ya, ya know that."

"Right," she snapped, the utter distain she felt toward him practically dripping from her tongue. "Because it would be too easy, huh?" A sharp gasp escaped her mouth when his hook came underneath her chin, forcing her head upward.

"Aye, it would be." Harry lifted her head until it could go no further, the sharp point scratching down the length of her neck until it curved into the collar she'd forgotten to remove. "After all tha shite ya've pulled lately, ya deserve ta suffer," he said quietly, using his hold on her collar to slowly pull her onto her feet.

Cassie obediently followed the motion, too exhausted to even think about going another round with him. But that didn't mean she had to stay quiet. "Everything _I've_ pulled? What you give is what you get, Harry. All I've done since meeting you was defend myself, I never made the first swing." So she'd taken his pocket watch, big deal. He'd gotten back at her for that. Everything after was a result of his anger, and she wasn't about to take all of the blame for their feud.

"A man's ego is a fragile thing, Cassie," he told her, lightly shaking his head in reprimand. "One wrong move an' it's blown ta pieces."

"I embarrassed you?!" she cried incredulously. "That's why you're doing this?! If it took one little girl to crack your confidence then maybe you're not as strong as you think you are."

The moment those harsh words left her mouth, Harry's right hand, which Cassie had made the idiotic mistake of forgetting about again, grabbed her left side, directly over the spot he'd brutally kicked earlier. She wasn't sure if he'd broken her ribs all together, though it was highly unlikely since she was still standing. His thumb put pressure on the already sensitive skin, his fingers practically clawing into her back as his grip hardened.

A small whine came from back of Cassie's throat, small tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. With his hook still curved into the collar around her neck, she had no choice but to look up at his face, the unsettling act enhanced by the growing discomfort in her side. He wasn't going to ease up, that much she knew with certainty, and he wanted to see exactly how much it was hurting her.

"Not as strong as I think, eh?" he repeated her earlier words back to her, the subtle outrage in his tone enough to let Cassie know she'd really fucked up just now. "Ya don' think I'm strong, Cassie?" As if to prove a point, which he kind of was, his thumb moved up an inch, constantly keeping the horrible pressure on her already-fragile skin.

Cassie cleared her throat, her lips tightly shut in a poor effort to withhold any sounds to let him know it was working. It hurt more than anything. She was quite thin as it was, and Harry's hand easily stretched from her stomach, across her side, and onto her back. His 'punishment' now was unyielding, the death-grip he had on her side enough to make her re-think her idea of not fighting back.

"C'mon little kitty," he muttered, adjusting his right hand a little further up to do the same thing again. It was basic torture, and so far she was doing better than he thought she would. But she'd cave soon enough. He just had to find the right spot.

The little cat jolted when, instead of simply causing discomfort to her tender flesh, Harry's thumb found one of her ribs. It had to be the area his foot had successfully hit a little earlier, since the very moment his fingers came around that particular spot, an agonizing throb sparked in her side.

"Stop." The word slid from her tongue before she could even think about saying it, the torture he was currently inflicting clouding her mind. She tried to stay strong, to think of something else to avoid focussing on the obvious, but it wasn't working.

"Now why would I do that?" he asked with a raised brow, his lips twitching up at the corners as his eyes curiously flickered down toward his hand.

"I-I'll tell you who spelled my dad," she stuttered, biting down on her bottom lip as his fingers twitched.

"I don' care 'bout that anymore, love," he admitted, his gaze coming back to meet hers. "If ya knew someone on the Isle with magic, ya'd of gone already."

 _'Damn it,'_ she thought, releasing the hold she had on her lip when a faint metallic taste dripped onto her tongue. He wasn't wrong: If she had known someone on the Isle with magic she'd have gotten herself out of this prison years ago. But that little secret had been the only thing keeping her alive, and with it gone she had nothing of use left.

"But there's somethin' else I'm curious about," he told her, and Cassie's eyes visibly widened, a small glimmer of hope fluttering through her chest.

"W-what do you wanna know?"

Harry gave a small hum as he thought, his eyes darting about the room before they eventually came back to her. "I wanna know when ya turn back."

At first, Cassie had no idea what he was talking about. But when she soon realised what he wanted to know, her mouth dropped open and her brows furrowed, a furious objection right on the tip of her tongue.

Before the little cat could even attempt to shut him down, which he knew by the look on her face she was about to do, Harry put as much of his force as he could manage into the hold he had on her ribs, Cassie's words falling flat as a loud wail passed through her lips. Her body shook and her instincts _finally_ kicked in, her small hands pushing at his chest as she struggled to move away from his grip.

"W-why do y-you wanna know that?" she cried, her lower lip quivering as the pressure lessened on her side. He didn't remove his hand completely, as she wished he would, and she knew full well that if she even thought about talking back again, he'd do it again.

"Hush now, little kitty," he gently whispered, the sight of her tears spurring him on. "I know it hurts, love. But ya humiliated me, Cassie. An' _no one_ gets ta humiliate me. Yar side o' tha Isle don' know me yet, but they're gonna know my name real soon, love."

Cassie rummaged through her mind in an effort to find some sense in what Harry was saying, and eventually the memory of her talk with Helena came to mind. Uma had tagged the Isle on the night of the riots, laying claim to every store she could. With Maleficent gone, it was time for a new power to run the Isle, and apparently that 'higher power' was Uma.

The pirates were coming inland.

"Looks like ya'll be seein' a lot more o' me, Cassie," the red pirate chuckled. "So, 'bout this curse o' yars…" he trailed off pointedly, and Cassie frowned. "An' don' try an' lie ta me either. If I think ya're lyin'... well." He quickly untangled his hook from her collar and switched hands, the weapon now hovering near her sore ribs. "I got no problem makin' ya a bit more... _truthful_ , as it were."

Cassie cleared her throat and looked down, her dark eyes lingering on his hook. If he could cause that much pain with just his hand, what could he do with the hook?

"When the sun comes up," she begrudgingly admitted, her mouth dry and tongue heavy as she whispered the dreaded revelation. A small part of her wondered if he'd heard her, since she'd said it so quietly, but she knew he did.

"Tha sun comes up, ya turn into a kitty. Sun goes down, an' ya come back to this." Harry used his left hand to gesture toward her body, and Cassie could only nod in confirmation. "Fuck me, no wonder ya're so miserable."

"No shit," she retorted with a mumbled voice, staring down at her hands as she toyed with the edges of her hair.

Harry looked down at the little cat, his tongue caught between his teeth as the cogs in his brain started to turn. "Makes ya wonder though, love. What did yar daddy do that was so bad he had somethin' like that put on 'im?"

As expected, Cassie's head whipped up at his enquiry, her dark eyes frantically darting from his face to the rest of the objects behind him. It was a rather unpleasant thing for _him_ to think about, let alone the daughter of the infamous cat himself. Whatever her father had done, it must've been very, very naughty.

"You should get back to Uma," the little cat suggested, diverting from the unnerving subject of her father's 'actions' before he'd been thrown onto the Isle. "I saw her tonight. She's waiting for you."

"Ya went ta see Uma?" he wondered, and she nodded. "Ah." He gave a slow nod and stepped back, the realisation of why she'd gone to see his Captain sparking his temper. "Ya tried ta make a deal, I'm guessin'?"

With Harry now out of her space, Cassie took the initiative to put her ass back down on the bed, the simple act of standing straight, and without aid, a little difficult. Her head hurt and now, thanks to Harry, so did her side, more than it had before anyway. She just wanted to fall asleep, and the traitors bed seemed like the best place to do so.

"Cassie," he called, and the little cat lifted her head, her eyelids drooping as she fought to stay awake. "Ya ever try ta go to Uma 'bout me again, an' I'll throw ya back in the cells. Got it?" Harry was rather finicky with his morals, but he loathed cowards, and Cassie running straight to Uma to try and make a deal around him just didn't sit well with him.

"Hmm, I'd like to see you try."

Harry opened his mouth to fire back at the little cat, only to halt immediately when he saw she'd somehow fallen asleep. He gave a small scoff of disbelief, lightly shaking his head as he manoeuvred toward the balcony door. His conversation with Cassie wasn't done, and there was no way in hell he was letting her off easy. But he knew her secret now, and he could just as easily track her down tomorrow night.

 _'First things first,'_ he thought, jogging down the metal stairs: He _had_ to talk to Uma.

~...~...~

The teal-haired Captain hummed a small tune as she bustled about the shoppe, lifting the remainder of chairs onto the now-clean tables as she set about her 'end-of-work' routine. Her lips twisted downward in a frown as she looked over her shoulder and toward the door, her stomach churning as she strained to hear a set of footsteps outside, only to realise there was nothing.

Though the end of her shift was always a welcome relief, the hours she spent alone afterwards were anything but. Her crew had already gone home after being dismissed, and though he'd offered to stay, Gil too had gone running back to the Gaston household after Uma assured him she'd be fine on her own for a bit.

But that was far from the truth.

For the first ten years of her life on this prison, Uma had spent every moment on her own. Whether it was wiping down tables, causing trouble at school, and even going to fetch the supplies for her mom's shoppe, she was always alone. But then she met Harry.

They were thick as thieves now, but she and her first mate hadn't always seen eye-to-eye. In fact, the very first time they'd met, they'd wound up in some pathetic argument over which of their parents had done the most dastardly deed. Harry had sworn to Davy Jones's Locker that his father was worse, that his father had tormented the people of Neverland for a majority of his life, surrounded by his loyal crew. And Uma had countered his point by letting him know that her mother cast spells, had eight tentacles, and took the souls of merfolk as payment for any 'deals' she happened to make. Looking back on it now, Uma knew with certainty that their argument had been pointless and pathetic. It didn't matter what their parents _had_ done, their poor decisions had gotten them thrown on the Isle and that made them equally as disappointing.

It wasn't until three months later that their strange friendship came around. Uma had been sent to the market, again, to fetch a few things for her mother and had been cornered by a few hostile and drunk pirates. Mal hadn't been around that time to help her fight them off, and Uma could vividly remember it being the first time she was terrified of someone other than her mother. There had just been something unusually dark about the looks those pirates gave her, and even now it sent a shiver of horror down her spine whenever she thought too hard about it. But Harry had come to help her. She didn't know if he'd heard her calls for help, or he'd just come around at the right time. She hadn't ever questioned that part. He'd just come running toward them, holding a sword almost as large as himself, and started swinging.

Safe to say, they never came across those men again, but Uma had found a new friend that day. Harry had helped her develop her sword-fighting skills, which she'd been practicing on her own till they met, and she encouraged him to seek out the confidence she knew he had hiding somewhere deep inside. When her mom came down on her ass for something stupid, he was there. When Mal pulled that cruel prank and dumped shrimp all over her, he'd stayed and helped her clean up. And when she suggested the idea of forming their own pirate crew for children just like them, he'd been all for it. Everything they'd ever done had been with the other, and she still couldn't quite get her head around the fact their friendship had lasted so long.

They'd grown in different ways over the years. He didn't stick around as much as he used to, and Uma's life was now filled with extra shifts and plans to take over the Isle. But they were still just as close as they had been, and no matter what he _always_ came back.

Until now, at least.

Harry was a big boy and he could take care of himself, and Uma tried hard to keep that thought in mind every single time she looked at the door. He could certainly deal with Cassie, anyway. The little cat was a nuisance, but she wasn't violent, and she was certainly no threat to the first-mate. However, the Isle was unpredictable, and the worst-of-the-worst always came out at night. They were travelling further inland now but there was still a lot of ground to cover, and moving around in groups of three or more ensured the pirate's safety. But tonight Harry was out there alone, and without the help of his crew mates. If a larger group decided to fuck with him then he'd surely lose, no matter how skilled or strong he was. And while she hated the idea of admitting it, Uma couldn't help but worry about him.

Uma rubbed at her eyes once she'd finally lifted the last chair, the fatigue she'd fought against all day returning with a vengeance now that all her work was done. There was nothing left for her to do now except go down to her room on the ship, but she couldn't. Not until he came back.

"Uma."

At first she thought she was hearing things, her worn-out mind stressing so hard over whether or not Harry was safe that it was now taunting her as well. But when she turned, and saw him stood in the doorway, her entire form sagged with overwhelming relief.

"Harry," she muttered quietly, warily eyeing him for a moment on the off-chance she'd now started to hallucinate as well. "You're okay?" Uma tried to seem as indifferent as possible, her years of training herself not to show a flicker of weakness when around other pirates firmly rooted in her ways.

"Aye, 'm fine," he reassured, a small smile tugging at his lips. He knew Cassie had been here to see Uma, which must've meant his Captain knew what kind of predicament he'd been in. Uma wasn't showing it now, but he knew she worried about him. Just like he always worried about her.

The Captain nodded slowly, gently rubbing at her chest as she calmed her formerly frazzled nerves. He was here, and he was fine. "So, where'd you go? Last I heard Cassie had you all tied up," she inquired, pulling down two chairs from the table she'd just cleaned.

"Yup, she did," he replied, moving to sit beside her. "Little prick knocked me out with my own hook, tied me ta a bit o' wood." A snort of laughter erupted from his Captain, and Harry glared in response. "It's not funny."

"You're right," she agreed, shamefully pressing her lips together to avoid laughing again. "So what happened?"

Harry inhaled a deep breath, mentally preparing himself to recount the bizarre meeting he'd had with Cassie a little earlier. "I got outta tha ties, climbed down inta another room ta wait for 'er. When she came back I attacked, we 'ad a bit of a fumble; She got tha wors' end."

"Good," the Captain remarked. "Bitch deserved it."

"Hmm, that she did."

Uma's brows furrowed as she saw Harry's eyes glaze over in thought, the pirate absentmindedly scratching his hook into her table as his mind travelled elsewhere. Something had happened, maybe something big.

"Something happened," she voiced her concern, and it brought Harry's attention back to her. " _What_ happened?"

"She... uh." Harry fumbled to find a way to explain everything to Uma, while he himself was _still_ processing Cassie's reaction when she thought he was going to kill her. "I had 'er on tha floor, an' I was ready ta kill 'er, an' she tol' me ta do it." He curiously watched Uma's face as she took in what he was saying, a large part of him hoping he wasn't completely insane for questioning the little cat's motives.

"She...um...what?" Uma scratched at her forehead in contemplation, apparently just as confused as he was.

"She _wanted_ me ta kill 'er." Harry shook his head in disbelief, lightly tapping his hook against the table. "I didn' believe 'er, not at firs'. But she tol' me ta do it, Uma. Even lifted 'er neck ta make it easier. No fightin' or fussin', it was like she completely gave up. She even pushed me ta do it, tried to get my temper goin', an' it nearly worked.

"I jus' don' understan', Uma. The secon' she thought it was happenin' she gave up, an' she even seemed happy about it. She was ready ta accept 'er fate." When he ended his tale, Harry felt significantly better than before. Unloading onto someone else was always a great stress reliever, and Uma would always give him her honest opinion on it, no matter how brutal it was.

Uma frowned, her dark eyes rolling about as she thought. Honestly, it confused her. From what she'd seen in Cassie, she was more than willing to do whatever it took to stay alive. So why the hell had she been so quick to roll over and accept what was coming to her? Something had to have pushed her to that edge. But what?

"What did you do?" she asked, more intrigued to hear the rest of the story than ask what was going on with Cassie.

Harry shrugged. "I didn' do it, obviously. Killin' someone's no fun if it's what they want. I decided ta let 'er live, let 'er suffer in this life."

"I guess," the Captain sighed, resting her right arm on the table, her chin balanced on her hand. "She tell you who has magic on the Isle?" It was highly unlikely Cassie gave him an answer, but she had to cover all bases.

"Now that-" Harry pounded his hooked hand against the table and leaned forward, oddly perking up at the inquiry, "-is a very good question, Uma. I've got a theory, an' ya 'ave ta listen, alright?"

Uma rolled her eyes, but gave a nod. "Okay, go for it."

"Right, so we know tha little kitty 'as a curse, yeah? An' she got it from 'er dad, who bailed after he realised she 'ad it too. I don' reckon anyone on tha _Isle_ cursed 'er dad, I reckon someone from tha other side o' tha pond did." Harry knew his 'theory' wasn't confirmed, but it was the best one he had. And though it didn't help them find a way off the Isle, it was certainly a motivational point for their hatred toward the Auradonian's, and it _could_ push more Isle-dwellers to join their crew.

"You think someone from Auradon cursed Cassie's dad, and then threw him on the Isle?" the Captain clarified, and Harry nodded. "That's crazy. Those assholes are always going on about 'good' and 'peace' and other kinds of bullshit, they don't have the balls to pull something like that."

"I know it's a stretch, Cap', but it's tha best I've got. I mean jus' think about it, no one on this island can use magic. Not even tha dragon lady could do it. If someone 'ad magic on tha Isle, they wouldn' be cursin' people ta turn inta kitties in tha day. They'd o' taken down this bloody barrier an' let us all go by now. An' I hate ta say it, but Cassie's a clever little kitty, don' ya think she'd 'ave somehow tricked someone inta takin' away 'er curse by now? Or would'a convinced 'em ta help 'er off tha Isle? Dyin' isn' an option, Uma. No one wants ta die no matter who they are. But I swear ta ya, that girl was more than 'appy ta die tonight, an' she wouldn' o' done so if she thought she 'ad another option."

Uma groaned with frustration, her head thrown back in utter defeat. She really hated being proven wrong, and it was worse when it was coming from Harry.

"Ya know I'm right." Uma could practically feel the glee in his voice, and it came as no surprise to her when she looked down and found his wide grin mocking her. "I told ya so," he sang, and she retaliated with a swift kick to his shin.

"Shut the hell up," she grumbled, though a small smile wound its way onto her face at the sound of his laughter. He'd been so stressed over the last few days, so it was nice to see him back to normal.

"But, uh, being cursed is bad enough. Throwing someone onto an Island prison _with_ that curse? It's not just a punishment, Harry, it's..." Uma trailed off into a lingering silence, trying to come up with the right word to describe the situation.

"It's evil, Uma," he piped up, the light-heartedness in the air turning sombre with just a few words.

Uma agreed, to a certain extent. Yes, what had happened to the Cheshire Cat was, in the simplest terms, evil. But was it really any different to what had been done their own parents? Most of the original villains had been brought back from the dead before being chucked on the Isle: Half going insane while the other half pushed their plans onto their children. Witches were forced to live without magic, Queens had to make-do without their castles and riches, and pirates couldn't even sail past the border. Every single villain had been stripped of something when the Auradonian's brought them back to life, and even their followers had been given the same punishment. It wasn't fair, but they had to live with it.

However, what Cassie was currently living with pushed the boundaries. The little cat was a bit of a sassy asshole, but did she really deserve what was happening? If Uma guessed right, Cassie was stuck with a curse that transformed her from girl to cat at some point during the day, her father had disappeared when he found out she inherited his 'curse', and as far as they knew she had no friends on the Isle. The V.K.'s on the Isle all deserved better, even Cassie.

"I feel weird, Uma," the first mate admitted, and Uma narrowed her gaze in question. "When I clicked on ta what 'appened ta 'er...I dunno. I still wanna kill 'er, but I feel a bit." He paused abruptly, a small grunt coming from his throat as he shook his head.

"I know what you mean," she admitted, knowing full well what he was experiencing. Neither of them liked Cassie, and they might never like her, but she and Harry had somehow climbed out from underneath their parent's shadow. They didn't answer to them, and they barely saw them anymore. Hell... the only reason Uma even worked in the shoppe was because it actually meant something to her, and it was a great place for her crew to wind down and relax. But Cassie was still trapped in her father's wrong-doings, his curse painfully tormenting her already miserable life on this Isle. In a way, even Uma and Harry could sympathise with it.

"But every villain kid on this Isle has a story, Harry. Her curse doesn't define her actions, or what she did to us. And we can't show mercy," the Captain told him, hoping to bring peace to him _and_ herself. "What are you gonna do about her now?"

Harry gave a small shrug. "I dunno. I left 'er alive 'cause it's a fate worse than death for 'er. She's got no mates, no family, nothin' at all. She's all alone."

"Wicked," she noted with an impressed smile. "I'm proud."

"Thank ya, Captain."

"Anyway," she said with a long-winded sigh, swaying the conversation to a much happier topic. "Tomorrow we start collecting. I don't care what you have to do to get the money, we're not here to play nice, we're here to make a point. The pirates run this Isle now. And everyone needs to know it."

Harry chuckled and leaned back in his seat, his arms crisscrossed behind his head as he lifted his feet onto the table. "We ride with tha tide."

~...~...~

Helena swept up the locks of hair from her floor, gathering the remaining strands in a dustpan. Finally, her shift was over, and she could just clean up and relax for an hour or two before Gilzean woke up again. She adored her little one, but she'd love him more if he actually started sleeping through the night.

It had only been a day since she'd seen Cassie, but the Queen of Heart's mind often strayed toward the little kitty. She wondered if the girl was dead, lying in an alleyway somewhere on the Isle or - judging by the little ones troubles with pirates - at the bottom of the ocean. It was a rather dark line of thinking, but by now Helena was used to such thoughts.

Another part of her wondered if the girl would ever come through the salon door again. It was highly unlikely, since the night before seemed like a one-off, but the Queen couldn't help but hope that she would.

Before settling down and preparing for her beautiful baby boy, Helena had been like the rest of the teenagers on the Isle. She ran around the Isle with Gilzean's father, Gaston Jr, the two wreaking havoc wherever they saw fit. They stole whatever they wanted, often being chased away by the owners of the store they took from, always basking in the come-down of the adrenaline rush when it was over. He took on every single man, and occasional woman, that tried to start an argument, the possibility of proving his dominance always pushing past his rational thought. And Helena had _loved_ every moment of it. The daunting smirk on his face, the way he straightened his back and pushed out his chest before a fight, and how he always made sure to wink subtly in her direction when things took a turn. It had been his way of letting her know he'd be fine, and he'd definitely win the fight. Every second with him was a constant thrill, the worry she'd always had at never knowing what her day would bring changing when she spent more time with him. He'd taught her how to _live_ with the horrible life they'd been given, and Helena would always love him for it.

After she found out she was having a baby, things had changed. Instead of charming her out of her home, he urged her to stay indoors, and begged her to think of their kid before herself. When her stomach started to show, she was almost-always on constant lockdown, her only visitors being Gil and Gaston Jr's twin brother, Gaston Jr-Jr. Most of that time she'd spent down in the salon, working over-time to relieve some of the frustration from not being able to go out, along with added pregnancy hormones. It hadn't been the best time in her life, but Helena had lived with much worse when her mom was alive, so who was she to complain?

Gilzean's dad didn't come around as much anymore. When he did spare enough time to actually show up, he was wonderful with their son, feeding him and playing with him in a way Helena had always wished for before he'd been born. Knowing who Gaston Jr's dad was hadn't helped her think of a happy family life, since Gaston himself was infamous on the Isle for charming women and thinking only of himself. Gilzean's dad had surprised her in the best way, and when he did take a break from the Anti-Heroes club, he reminded her of the reason she fell for him in the first place.

Helena was content with her life now, but a smaller part of her would always yearn for that rush again. She couldn't actively go out and start shit, since the risk of endangering Gilzean always reminded her that things were different now, and she was certainly _not_ going to put her beloved boy in that position. But a little excitement to her life wouldn't be too much trouble, and that's exactly where Cassie came into it.

The events the night before had been rather pleasing. Someone else's drama was always much better than going through her own, and Helena couldn't deny that she'd enjoyed it a little too much. It'd brought some kind of fire to the current routine she was living in, and she liked it.

Helena flinched as a loud knock came from the front door, her eyes cautiously darting to the back room where Gilzean was sleeping. No one came to the salon after dark. Not unless they had threatening intentions anyway.

The Queen of Hearts quickly gripped the sharp knife she always held nearby, slowly manoeuvring toward the door with great carefulness. She kept her movements slow and light, her right hand shaking as she tightened her grip on the handle.

"Who is it?" she called out, her voice loud and confident. She couldn't show a possible-attacker she was afraid, and she had to get her shit together before she opened that door.

Whoever it was on the other side, they didn't give a reply. They didn't even knock again. But when Helena turned to go back into the salon, a hard _thud_ came from the door, and she gave into the curiosity that niggled at the back of her mind.

Helena sucked in a breath of reassurance and pulled on the handle, her knife held high in the air and ready to strike. "I swear to fuckin-" the animosity on her tongue died the moment she looked down, a strained gasp flying through her lips as she inspected the trembling body on her doorstep. "Oh crap."

The Queen of Hearts shoved the knife into her back pocket and bent over, dragging the little cat through the doorway and into the salon. She dropped Cassie's arms unceremoniously to the floor, a little too distracted to feel bad about it as she hastily closed and locked the front door.

"Cassie," she called gently, lowering herself to kneel beside the wounded cat. "Cassie," she repeated the little one's name a bit louder, delivering a few small back-handed taps to the girls cheek in an effort to wake her up. "Wake up, kitty cat."

At the demand, Cassie's dark eyes opened, a gruesome stain of blue-ish green circling her right eye. It wasn't the only obvious attack-wound she had. Helena could clearly spot a red mark on the little one's left cheek, and with the way Cassie was furiously clutching at her stomach, the Queen could safely assume she had a few others.

"Cassie, hey," she muttered, deciding it was best to keep her hands to herself for the time being. "What happened?"

"I-I don't... I can't." Cassie's voice was quiet and scratchy, most likely worn down from whatever the hell had happened to her.

"Did Harry do this?!" the Queen inquired, her thoughts pin-pointing the more obvious suspect for this attack. It would certainly make sense, after all.

The little cat grimaced, a hiss of pain passing through her lips as she attempted to move her head. "I-I don't...he didn't," her words slurred into incoherent mumbles, her dark eyes disappearing as her lids slowly closed.

Helena frowned. "Cassie?" She quickly tapped the girl's cheek again, hoping to get some more answers. "Cassie?!" Nothing. The little cat was completely unconscious now, the horrific wounds on her body most likely driving her into utter exhaustion.

Helena gave a huff of displeasure and got to her feet, her mind taunting her as she rummaged her brain for a solution to this sudden 'problem'.

 _'Be careful what you wish for,'_ it sang. She had asked for some excitement, and that seemed to be exactly what she was getting.

"Damn it!"

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

Right, this chapter was a bit dark, but all this chaos will die down soon enough. Bit more insight into Helena's and Uma's lives, so I hope you liked it.

Review acknowledgement Time;

Sasha2702; First, thank you for your review! And yes, Helena and Cassie are on their way to becoming allies in a way. I kind of feel like, at this point, Cassie could really use a 'friend', and Helena seems like the better option right now.

Second...yes, the person in the cave at the chip shoppe is Ursula. She appeared for a moment in the movie, and I thought it'd be nice to give her some recognition.

And third, I'm glad you liked the story behind Harry's hook. Uma only told Cassie that story to scare her, I guess, and give her a bit more understanding of exactly how powerful Harry is. There will be more tid-bits on Harry's life in this story, and everyone else's, so I hope you stick around for that.

Shipperandfanficer15; Thank you for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Mrs Trunks Brief; Thank you for your review! I'm glad you like the dark themes in this story, I know not everyone enjoys this kind of thing, so it means a lot that someone likes to read about it. And I really hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And much love to everyone who've favourited and followed this story as well.

Thanks!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read through.)


	11. Heroes and Villains

Warnings;

. Swearing.  
. Discussion of suicide.  
. Death/Violence.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The first thing Cassie felt was pain. It stung in her palms, ached in her knees and calves, and she had absolutely no way to describe how terrible it was in her stomach and ribs. It felt like she'd fallen from her window at Bargain Castle and had been unfortunate enough to survive such a drop.

Cassie twitched her index finger, a swell of anxiety unsettling her stomach when she felt a soft sort of material beneath her fingers. She pushed down a little harder, her hand pressing against a cushiony surface. It wasn't her poor excuse of a bed she was laying in, if it was she'd easily be able to notice the hard wood through the thin layer of blankets she wrapped herself up in each and every night. She had to be somewhere else, but where?

The little cat frowned, her brows furrowed as she attempted to regain her other senses. She strained to hear a voice, something to let her know exactly where she'd wound up, but there was nothing. Just an unbearable silence.

With nothing to hear, Cassie slowly inhaled through her nose and released, hoping a smell of some kind could help her figure things out. It was a relief to her when the stench of the ocean didn't pass through, a greater part of her overbearing worry soothed now that she knew she wasn't on the pirate ship again. The scent wasn't too displeasing, but it did leave a rather nauseating and bitter taste on the back of her tongue, and it was enough to get her brain functioning a little better. After all, there was only one place she'd been to before that had that smell.

She was at Helena's place. It wasn't a moment of _utter_ joy, since Cassie could vividly remember the last meeting she'd had with the Queen of Hearts, but anything was better than Uma's pirate ship.

Now that she had a better idea of where she was, and how much danger she was in, Cassie took this moment to try and get her eyes working. A task easier said than done, apparently. Her lids felt heavy, the simple act of opening her eyes a little harder than she anticipated, and Cassie struggled to get them open.

When she eventually succeeded in the embarrassingly difficult task, she was disheartened to find her vision somewhat distorted. Everything was blurry, and the sudden itch didn't help either.

A faint scuffling sound reached her ears, and Cassie tensed, quickly shutting her eyes. Until she knew why she was here, and if she was even safe, she thought it best to play 'Sleeping Beauty' a little bit longer. After all, there was no guarantee she hadn't had some sort of scuffle with Helena again, and that the Queen had knocked her out with that awful liquid.

The noise grew louder, and soon enough Cassie could hear the creak in the floorboards as whoever it was came closer. She stayed as still as she could, pressing her palms and fingers flat against the surface beneath her as her limbs trembled. She was scared, but there was no way in Hades she was opening her eyes, and in her state she couldn't even begin to think about a plan of attack. She just had to lay there.

Whoever this person was, they didn't make much noise. If the flooring wasn't so poorly laid down then Cassie wouldn't even know they were there. They had to be small, possibly like her, or they might just be light on their feet. Either way, the little cat had no way of knowing and it irritated her immensely.

Cassie felt the warmth surrounding her body disappear, and she soon realised she must've been covered in a blanket. She was extremely relieved to find the room wasn't as cold as her hide away was: It was actually rather warm when compared to most places on the Isle. However, when the material was slowly and gently pulled away from her body, Cassie almost squeaked in protest when she came to the awkward realisation that she wasn't wearing her dress.

 _'Oh fuck, I'm naked,'_ she mentally gasped. It was one thing to be in a room and unable to defend yourself, but it was whole different thing to be _naked_ in that particular situation. A situation that Cassie, with utter mortification, was currently going through.

The entire moment became even more unbearable when, much to the little cat's discomfort, the unknown person started touching her. It wasn't painful; Far from it, in fact. It was more of a gentle poking and prodding, soft fingers lightly smoothing over Cassie's middle section, and then a thumb rubbing her left eye. It was greatly uncomfortable, mainly because Cassie knew she had no clothes on, but not threatening.

Cassie kept her eyes closed and remained silent, her determination to stay alive overriding the curiosity to see who she was dealing with. She would've kept it up a little longer, too, if a sudden and intense cold hadn't come down on her stomach.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter couldn't withhold the hiss at the abrupt sensation, her eyes opening wide as her entire body jolted. Everything was clear this time, but her mind went into overdrive as she attempted to deal with the freezing object against her skin, and also figure out where the hell she was in Helena's place.

Before Cassie could even determine who'd come into the room, they were gone from sight. The only evidence they'd even been into the place was the large bag of frozen peas resting on her stomach: An object that Cassie was quick to remove.

With the person gone, and possibly running back to Helena, Cassie took this time to survey her surroundings. A quick look to the left gave her all the facts she needed to make a secure guess, the large divider beside her somewhat of a delighting sight. She'd been in this room. She _knew_ this room. Now she just had to find her damn clothes.

Cassie sucked in a deep - and apparently painful - breath, her hands grasping at the fabric beneath her as she pulled herself up into a seated position. She fought hard to ignore the throb in her chest every time she breathed a little too deeply, and she winced at the strain in her stomach muscles when she finally sat upright.

"Hey there pussycat."

Cassie flinched and turned her head at Helena's chirpy greeting, a grimace of pain crossing her features as she carefully moved her legs. "Wha-" The little cat paused as a tickling sensation began in her throat, a raspy cough replacing her words.

"Here." The Queen of Hearts came further into the room, her boots thudding against the floor as she approached a small desk beside the little cat.

The coughing stopped, but the tickle was still there, and Cassie gratefully accepted the small cup of water handed to her. She hadn't realised just how dry her mouth and throat was when she first woke up, but every gulp of water was something akin to euphoric, and it made the little cat wonder how long she'd been in this room.

"Better?" the Queen quietly inquired, and Cassie nodded, wiping the remainder of liquid from her chin with the back of her right hand.

"Thanks," she muttered, handing the cup back to Helena. "How long have I been here?"

Helena gave a shrug and perched at the edge of the bed. "About two days." It was said so simply and casually that Cassie had to repeat it in her mind just to make sure.

"T-two days?" she repeated, earning a small nod from the other girl.

"Yup."

Cassie, her dark eyes locked on Helena's. "I've never slept that long before," she admitted with a mumble.

"Well," the Queen dragged out with a long-winded sigh, leaning back on her right hand. "You came here beat to shit, passed out before I had a chance to find anything out. But Sophie said your curse takes a lot outta you, so put those two together and it's kind'a surprising you didn't stay down longer."

The very fact that she'd turned up at Helena's doorstep beaten didn't quite affect the little cat as much as it should have. What _did_ meet its mark, however, was the mentioning of her curse, and that a person called 'Sophie' somehow knew something about it.

"Who the fuck is Sophie?!" she exclaimed, wildly waving her right hand. "And why does she know about me?!"

"I can deal with a lot of shit, okay? Bruises, cuts, broken bones. But what am _I_ supposed to do when some kid shows up outta nowhere, passes out in my salon, and then changes into a cat a few hours later?! I _had_ to call for backup," the Queen stated firmly.

Cassie pouted in annoyance, and soon gave a small huff of acceptance. She couldn't change anything that'd been done, or somehow go back in time and tell Helena not to call in strangers to deal with her bruises, so, all in all, she just had to go with it. Cassie just prayed that this wouldn't come back around and bite her in the ass.

"So, whose kid is she?" she inquired with slight curiosity. She hoped that, by learning the parent of this 'Sophie', she could better prepare herself for any threat.

"No ones," replied Helena, and Cassie tilted her head in question. "Her parents aren't here. There's this teacher at Dragon Hall, he teaches kids with former-magic parents how to use Science rather than magic. Guy's from Auradon. Asshole actually _volunteered_ to be here, can you believe that?" Helena laughed, and Cassie rolled her eyes in disbelief. "But Sophie's his...apprentice, I guess. She helps him out and shit."

Cassie nodded in slight understanding. "Right. But that still doesn't explain why she came to look me over," she pointed out.

"Look, seeing you change into a cat? Weirdest shit I've ever seen, and trust me when I say I've seen some strange things on this Isle. I _thought_ that after that 'bibbidy-bobbidy-boop' moment the magic would somehow clean you up, but it didn't. I did what I could but I don't know anything about cats, or how to help them heal, so I went for help." Helena squinted for a second, mulling something over in her mind. "Well, I sent for help."

"Hmm, you'd think that there'd be some perks to a magical curse, right?" the little cat half-heartedly remarked, her eyes downcast. "So, why Sophie? Magic-Man too good to come help me himself or something?"

" _Actually,_ " the Queen began, and with slight reprimand. "He has a lot of shit going on. He teaches on the Isle, and he has a few other things running on the side. Sophie might have her quirks but she's good at what she does. _And_ she's been keeping you alive, so show some damn gratitude."

Cassie wrinkled her nose in disapproval, her displeasure at having been scolded evident. She hadn't been talked to like that since her father left, and she hated that the Queen was the one to do it now. However, Helena did make a good point. Whoever this 'Sophie' person was, she'd come all the way to Helena's salon and had helped keep Cassie up and running while the little cat was comatose. The least Cassie could do was show some 'thanks' and stop being so defiant.

"You're right," the little cat mumbled, toying with the edges of her hair. "So, where is she?"

Helena pursed her lips and spared a glance at the doorway. "Outside," she explained, turning back to face Cassie. "She wants to look you over, but she won't do it if you're gonna be a douche about it. So be _nice,_ or I'll throw your ass back out onto the street."

Cassie squeaked in slight offence, her mouth open as she prepared herself to voice her disapproval, but the Queen was off the bed and out of the room before she had a chance to do so.

"Asshole," the little cat mumbled, gently scratching her fingernails against the soft bedding beneath her.

After a small moment or two, Cassie heard the familiar _thuds_ of Helena coming back, and she looked up as the Queen came into the room again.

"Sophie's gonna look you over, so _behave._ " Helena quickly narrowed her eyes in Cassie's direction, patiently waiting for a nod from the little cat before turning to the doorway. "Come in, Soph'."

There was a small scuffling sound, the quieted footsteps soon far from thought as Cassie _finally_ got to see the girl who'd been taking care of her.

 _'Holy shit,'_ she thought, her brows raising with a mixture of disbelief and surprise as the stranger came into the room. Obviously there weren't many 'healers' on the Isle, and Cassie hadn't been too sure what to expect when she finally saw this 'Sophie', but _this_ hadn't ever come into her mind.

Even before Helena had given her a small 'heads-up' about the Magic Man and his apprentice being from Auradon, Cassie would have known right away that Sophie wasn't from the Isle. The little cat couldn't see much of Sophie, since the girl wore a large, red cloak that seemed to drown her entire frame from sight, but the jittery movements she made was enough of a 'red-flag' by Isle standards. She kept her face hidden beneath the hood of her cloak like she was hiding away from the world outside: A hard thing to accomplish when wearing such a bright and bold colour on her back. She was practically a walking target.

"Cassie, this is Sophie. Sophie, you know Cassie." Helena made the introductions when it seemed neither girl were eager to speak up and do it themselves, and Cassie couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"You're the one that's been taking care of me?" the little cat inquired, though she knew the answer already. In truth, she just wanted to make 'small talk' to fill in the awkward silence they were currently engulfed in.

The girl, Sophie, gave nothing but a small nod in response, her fingers slowly dragging the hood away from her face and over her head. It was obviously a way for her to better assess Cassie's injuries, but the little cat was rather grateful to now be able to see the girl's features a little easier.

She was a little thing. Smaller than Cassie. Her skin was pale, an obvious Isle-trait since the grey clouds constantly hid the sun from the residents. Her brown hair was frizzy and had a slight curl toward the end, the edges barely meeting her shoulders. Small details that Cassie didn't quite care for. What _did_ catch Cassie off guard was the delicateness of Sophie's face, and the flicker of concern she found in the stranger's blue eyes. People on the Isle didn't even show concern for their own family members, let alone a stranger.

"H-how do y-you feel?" she finally spoke, her voice hushed and gentle. Sophie struggled to keep steady eye-contact with the little cat, her eyes constantly flickering to Cassie's nose or cheeks.

"Breathing hurts," the little cat managed to reply, somewhat astounded by the evident shyness in the other girl. How the Isle hadn't eaten her up yet, Cassie had no idea.

Sophie nodded and looked down toward the floor, where Cassie had shoved the bag of frozen peas. She silently kneeled and retrieved the object, bunching it up in her small hands as she came back up to her full height.

"Is that necessary?" whined Cassie, almost pleading with Sophie and Helena to keep the wretched thing away from her body.

"Don't be such a pussy," the Queen remarked, chuckling to herself at the small pun. "It'll help keep the swelling down, right Soph'?" The littlest of the three gave a nod, and Cassie groaned.

"Fine." The Cheshire Cat's daughter gnawed at her lower lip, and gripped the bed sheets with her fingers, reluctantly allowing Sophie to gently hold the freezing bag of food against her ribs.

"J-just hold it t-there," she quietly instructed, and Cassie did as asked, holding the uncomfortable object with her right hand while Sophie began to inspect her other injuries.

"So," the Heart girl breathed with a sigh, moving to perch at the bottom of the bed. "What the hell happened to you?"

Cassie inhaled a deep breath, a flicker of a grimace crossing her face at the Queen's question. "I don't really remember," she mumbled.

"Was it Harry?" the Queen inquired, and Cassie lightly shook her head.

"No...I mean, some of this-" she sharply nodded toward her middle section, "-might be because of him. But he left."

Helena tilted her head and surveyed the little cat's body, her eyes narrowed as she thought to find a helpful reply. "How much of this is pirate boy's handiwork?"

Cassie pursed her lips and looked down, scanning her form and all the injuries she could fully take note of. "My knees," she mentioned as she spotted the grazes. "He threw me on the floor after I clawed him." She gently smoothed the fingers of her left hand over her stomach, her skin deeply tinged with purples, blues, and yellows. "He kicked me, I know that." With each recollection of the painful blows Harry had given her that night, her hand moved, searching out the wounds he'd inflicted. "My head."

"Damn," remarked Helena. "He really went for it, huh?"

"Nah," the little cat lightly objected. "If he _really_ wanted to make it bad, I wouldn't be here. He just wanted me pinned."

"Well, there has to be more to this story, pussycat. When you came here you were bleeding all over the place. Whoever did it, they wanted you dead." Helena crossed her arms and shuffled around on the edge of the bed, sceptically scrutinizing Cassie's face.

Cassie said nothing in reply, instead diverting her gaze to the off-white bed sheets as though they were the most interesting thing in the world. Her behaviour was... strange, to say the least. Something else must've happened that night, something Cassie wasn't telling her.

"All done." Sophie's voice was barely audible, but amongst the tense silence she was heard loud and clear. "Y-your ribs will clear up on their own, b-but you can't put any strain on yourself." Her words were directed at Cassie, who gave a small nod to show she was listening. "Breathing might be a bit h-hard, but you should be okay from now on."

"Can I climb?" the little cat asked hesitantly.

"Not without hurting yourself," the other girl replied with a small, sympathetic smile.

Cassie nodded and looked down, her mind frantic with worry. If she couldn't climb, how was she supposed to get home?

"If that's all then I-I better go." Sophie reached back and took hold of the hood of her cloak, drawing it up and over her head to hide her once more.

"Actually," said Helena, jumping to her feet as the smallest girl moved to leave the room. "His teeth are getting worse." She waved a hand toward the divider screen a few paces across from Cassie's bed. "If you know anything that might help."

Cassie curiously watched as the Queen of Hearts lightly shuffled from foot to foot, chewing the inside of her cheek as she stared at Sophie. She was clearly desperate, her tone of voice taking on the usual plead Cassie rarely heard around the Isle. It was a strange thing, to see someone so capable of violence and brutality showing such vulnerability.

"I-I don't have anything on me right now," the mousey girl apologetically answered, and the disappointment on Helena's face became evident as her eyes dropped. "But I can find something."

"Really?!" The Red Queen beamed, her shoulders sagging in utter relief at the other girl's reassurance. "Thank you, Sophie."

The little one gave a small, and rather bashful, smile. "It's alright. I-I'll be back in a few days to check on Cassie."

"Oh, I won't be here," the little cat blurted loudly, earning the attention of both girls. "I'll be gone as soon as I'm...uh-" she quickly looked down, "-dressed."

"Bullshit," the Queen crudely remarked, rolling her eyes. "She'll be here."

"O-kay," muttered Sophie, moving toward the exit. "I-I'll see you in a few days, then."

"Bye Sophie."

Cassie glowered at the older girl, and Helena returned the look with as much determination.

"I'm not staying here," the little cat instantly protested the moment Sophie was out of view. "I have to go home."

Helena gave a chuckle and stretched across the bottom of the bed, a single brow raised as she smirked at the little cat. "Oh, you're staying here," she stated.

"Look, I'm grateful you let me stay here, but I _can't_ stay here longer."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know you!" she exclaimed with a laugh of disbelief. "I don't trust you, either." Maybe she should've been a little worried about offending the Queen in some way, but for the time being she didn't quite give a shit. Cassie didn't _want_ to stay in the Heart household. She just wanted to go home.

"You wanna walk outta here? Be my guest. There's the door. I'd love to see you walk around in the state you're in, and I kind'a wanna see how far you get wearing nothing but your birthday suit."

Cassie growled at the mention of her state of undress, along with the slight remark about her painful injuries, and she quickly pulled up the blankets to cover herself. "Where are my clothes, anyway?" she grumbled, petulantly crossing her arms with a small huff.

Helena clucked her tongue and gave a small shrug. "I threw them out."

"Y-you got rid of my clothes?" Cassie gaped, her dark eyes widening as the Queen nodded. "Why?!" She desperately patted the top of her head, a lump growing in the back of her throat as she realised her 'ears' were gone.

"They smelt like blood and they were torn to shit. Don't worry though, I've got some stuff here for you." Helena obviously couldn't understand why the little cat was in such a state of despair, and Cassie had to ignore her inner-voice telling her how stupid she looked right now. "Don't worry, they're in the drawer," the Queen mumbled with a groan.

Cassie turned her watery eyes toward Helena. "Huh?"

"Your...uh, _trademark,_ " the Queen said pointedly, her eyes flickering up to the space Cassie's 'ears' _should_ have been. "They're in the drawer." She gave a nod toward the bedside table, and Cassie jumped into action, a small gasp of pain escaping her lips as she leaned over to rummage through the drawer.

It took only a few seconds, but the little cat couldn't withhold the wave of relief she felt as her fingers found the familiar fabric. She withdrew the item and leaned back in the bed, a saddened smile tugging at her lips as her fingertips smoothed over the 'ears'.

"They're too pretty to throw away," the Queen said quietly, and Cassie raised her head. "Plus it's pretty evil to take someone's mark. It's like my necklace." Helena raised a hand to the choker around her throat. "Or Gil's pendant. Harry's _hook_." Cassie took immediate note of the less-than-subtle accusation, her eyes dropping back to her own 'mark'. "Uma's _necklace._ "

"How did you even-" Cassie's flustered rant halted before it began, the cogs of her mind turning as she attempted to guess who'd told Helena about 'The Challenge'. "Gil," she muttered in realisation.

"Yup." Helena shook her head in Cassie's direction. "I don't know what you were thinking."

Cassie sighed. Helena was now the second person to - more or less - voice how stupid Cassie had been by taking Harry's hook. It'd seemed like a good idea at the time, and a sure way to cause pain to the psychotic pirate. Now, though, Cassie was starting to see exactly how idiotic she'd been by taking it. Even without Harry's beating a few nights ago, she'd have come to that realisation. However, fully digesting the fact she'd made a stupid decision on her part was a rather hard and bitter pill to swallow.

"I, uh...I don't know. Seemed like a good thing to do at the time, I guess," she pitifully replied. "I'm not a bad person, but I've never hated someone more than I hate Harry." Cassie kept her eyes trained on her 'ears', the ability to divulge her thoughts and feelings a little easier to do when she wasn't staring at someone dead on.

"He brings out your 'villain'," the Queen stated firmly, and Cassie raised her head, confusion and questioning swimming in her eyes.

"My villain?" she repeated, unable to comprehend what Helena was saying to her.

Helena shuffled around on the edge of the bed until she was sat straight, her legs crisscrossed in front of her. "Yeah, your 'villain'." She used her fingers to mark the air-quotes as she said villain, but Cassie remained utterly clueless as to what she was attempting to explain.

The little cat blinked. "I don't follow."

"Okay," the Queen of Hearts mumbled as she sucked in a large breath, clearly preparing herself for - what Cassie suspected was - a long-winded explanation. "Us 'villain kids' aren't actually villains. We're raised by villains, taught how to act like villains, but we're never a _true_ villain. Because our parents had something we never got to have." Helena stopped, but whether it was for dramatic effect, _or_ for Cassie to pipe up, the little cat had no idea. "Heroes."

Cassie groaned and shook her head. "You're supposed to be explaining this to me, not making it harder."

"I'm getting there," the Heart girl assured her, and Cassie rolled her eyes. "Our parents had a hero, someone they despised more than anything else. Someone that was so good, or pretty, or whatever else that it drove them into villainy. Every major villain on this Isle has their own hero. Maleficent has Sleeping Beauty...or her parents, I guess. Frollo has the Gypsies. Gaston has King Beasty, _or_ anyone that questions his skill on pretty much everything. Every villain has a hero."

"But there aren't any heroes here," the little cat pointed out.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Helena, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, when it was anything but. "There are no heroes here. That's why half us V.K.'s are always classed as disappointments to our parents, because we don't have that one person to focus our evil ways on. We don't have that one person that makes us want to rip this damned Isle apart until we find them, or take down anyone even remotely close to them to inflict some pain. We're a bunch of villains without a hero to defeat, it's no wonder we're all so fucked up."

Helena surely knew how to make a good point, but that still didn't help Cassie understand how Harry brought out her own inner 'villain'. He wasn't a hero; Not by a long shot. She hadn't even known him long enough to develop some kind of deep-rooted hatred, though her current feelings toward the hooked pirate were a close second to that. She was so, so confused, and Helena wasn't making things any clearer for her.

"Not many V.K.'s have their own 'hero'," the Queen continued. "All we really do is run around this place messing things up. It's like we're all...lost, somehow."

"Look I get _that._ What I don't get is how Harry fucking Hook is _my_ 'hero'," the little cat vented, the frustration at not knowing what the Queen was trying so hard to explain nagging at the back of her mind.

"Cassie, your 'hero' doesn't actually have to be an actual hero, they just have to be that one person you can't stand. The one person who gets under your skin without even trying, or without even doing anything! It doesn't matter if you've known them for a day or a year, it takes nothing more than a look for that button to get pushed. You see them and it's like every bad thing that's ever happened to you is somehow their fault. Being nice when they're around just isn't an option, because that nagging voice in your head controls everything and all you want to do is push and push until something happens."

"You, uh, sound like you know the feeling," the little cat hesitantly pried, the sincerity and passion in which Helena discussed their 'hero' too believable to be an exaggeration.

"That's 'cause I do," the Queen freely admitted, stunning Cassie for a moment or two. "But we're not talking about me right now, we're talking about _you._ "

Despite the urge to sway Helena from the rather uncomfortable topic they'd wound up discussing, Cassie knew not to press further. The last thing she wanted, or needed, right now was a showdown with the Queen of Hearts: Especially in her state.

"So let's say Harry is my 'hero', or whatever. How do I stop it? I'm not a villain, Helena. I did a stupid thing and now I'm paying for it, and that's all. So how do I end this?"

Helena paused to think over the little cat's words, her eyes rolling skyward as she wracked her brain. "I don't know. I mean, you could kill him. Though that does seem a bit far-fetched, especially for you," she replied, her eyes roaming Cassie's small form with something akin to judgement.

"Wow, thanks," the little cat deadpanned.

"There has to be a reason your weird little mind has put a target on Harry specifically. Think hard about it, what does he have that you don't?"

"Power," she muttered thoughtfully. "Strength. Friends. A reason to live."

"You don't have a reason to live?" Helena frowned, her tone taking a strange gentleness that Cassie still found unnerving.

"There's a reason Harry didn't kill me that night," she nervously revealed, her stomach turning and twisting as she thought back on everything he'd said to her that night. "My dad left me. I have no idea who my mom is. I live alone in a fucking attic. No one even knew who I was before I met Harry, and even now people still don't know who I am. I have nothing to lose, and what's worse is that Harry knows that."

"Cassie," the Queen cautiously whispered, her brows furrowed as she eyed the little cat. "What happened the other night?"

The Cheshire Cat's daughter gave a small, disheartened sigh, her vision clouding as tears sneakily began to surface. "I-I get this feeling sometimes, I've had it for years now, usually before I fall asleep. It's like this...ache, right here-" she placed her left hand against her chest, "-and I don't know what it is, or why it comes. When it does it's like my head just won't shut up, and it gets so fucking loud sometimes."

"Kitty-Cat," muttered Helena.

"I tell them to be quiet and let me sleep, but they just won't stop. They make me think about my dad and why he left. They make me think about all the things I could have if I didn't have this fucking curse. I just want them to stop."

"Cassie," the Queen demanded, finally pulling the little one's attention. "Whatever happened to you the other night, it wasn't an accident, was it?"

Cassie sniffled and quickly raised her hands, wiping the tear tracks from her face. The memories of everything that happened after Harry left hadn't been there when she first woke, but they'd been quick enough to make a reappearance. And though she feared showing any trace of vulnerability around the Queen, she couldn't quite fight against the idea of letting her thoughts flow free for a little while.

"It was easier than I thought it'd be," she whispered, finally meeting Helena's gaze. "All I had to do was throw on some of my 'special things' and go for a walk. I don't know how many there were, or if I'd seen them around. One minute I'm walking along the main street and the next..." she trailed off into a long sigh, vague memories of that night fluttering through her mind. "I don't know."

"You mean you tried to-"

"I guess I'm just a coward," the little cat said loudly, effectively ending Helena's startled realisation. "I couldn't do it myself. But all I could hear in my head was Harry, and I _needed_ it to stop."

Helena pursed her lips and leaned back, somewhat surprised to now find that Cassie's 'attack' was actually a suicide attempt. Everything she'd seen from Cassie since meeting her was a 'fight' in some way, and the Queen couldn't quite comprehend the thought of the little cat not wanting to stick around anymore.

"I told Harry to kill me that night," she admitted. "I thought if I just stayed still for one second then he'd actually go through with it."

"He knew what you were doing," the Queen commented, and Cassie nodded.

"Yeah. I guess I was stupid for thinking someone on this Isle could show a little mercy."

Helena scoffed. "Harry's not known for his mercy, pussycat. If you'd put up more of a fight that night, made him think you wanted to live, he would've gone through with it. There's no fun in killing someone who wants to be killed."

"That's the most fucked up thing I've ever heard."

"But it's true." Helena sighed and shrugged. "It's how things work here. Some of us do bad things to survive, and other people - like Harry, do it for the thrill of it. It's not right, but it's what we do."

Cassie gave a dejected nod. "So, what happens now?" she asked.

"Two options, I guess. First, you stay here for a few days until Sophie comes back, wait for the all-clear and then go on your way. You'll go back to wherever you came from, probably start taking things again, and go back to your old life."

Cassie furrowed her brows, both curious and a little worried about the second option Helena had in mind. "Or?"

" _Or_ ," the Queen stressed, a smirk pulling at her lips as she leaned in closer to the little cat. "You can stay here, with me. I can teach you how to live like _we_ do; Us V.K.'s. I can give you clothes, food, and - most importantly, a reason to fucking live." Helena seemed very excited at the idea of teaching a younger Isle-resident her wicked ways, but Cassie needed a bit more convincing.

"I'm not a villain, Helena!" Cassie exclaimed. "I can't hurt people or kill people without having a good reason to do it."

"Cassie, you've been stuck in the in-between for too long, and it's making you miserable. If surviving was all you wanted to do then you wouldn't have let Harry get to you so bad, and you wouldn't have gone out that night. Harry has Uma and the pirates, they're his group; His allies. He made a name for himself but he had a little help along the way. Let me do that for you."

"Why?" demanded Cassie. "Why do you _want_ to help me? You don't even know me." What Helena was offering sounded good enough, but Cassie had to cover all bases in this situation. She couldn't just jump into what the Queen was asking of her without knowing her intentions first. She had to make sure this wasn't just some kind of trick.

Helena slowly tilted her head, her eyes diverting to the bed as she pondered Cassie's question. "Because I know how it feels. That empty feeling that just won't go away. I've been where you are and I know how unbearable it is, and I found someone back then. Someone who showed me how to run through this Isle and make it my playground. Someone that gave me a reason to leave this damned house every day. Plus, things have got a little too boring around here, I could really use the distraction."

"But Harry-"

"He won't know shit until we want him to know," the Queen briskly interrupted, diminishing the little cat's objection before she could even start. "You're not evil but I've seen some of your tricks, pussycat. If we do this then no one can know, you won't tell anyone and neither will I. It'll be our little secret."

Cassie's mind was torn in two. One side of her wanted to take Helena's offer, the very idea of one day finally ridding herself of this unyielding pain and showing the Isle exactly who she was causing a swell of excitement to build in her stomach. On the other side, however, the uncertainty of it all chewed away at the back of her mind, continuously whispering that there was no true way of knowing how this would all play out. She hated the thought of going home and doing what she always did, knowing full well Harry was enjoying her suffering on his side of the Isle. But if she did this, and it worked, then surely she'd eventually have something to live for, and Harry would be all too willing to take it away.

"Don't think about it, Cassie," urged Helena. "Close your eyes and take a deep breath." Cassie did as requested, her eyes fluttering shut as she inhaled a deep and soothing breath. "Good, now answer every question without thinking it. Can you do that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good. Don't think about it, just say one of the options. Do you understand, yes or no?"

"Yes."

Helena gave a small chuckle. "Okay, here we go. Night or day?"

"Night."

"Cats or dogs?"

"Cats."

"Ears or tail?"

"Ears."

"Up or down?"

"Up."

"Freedom or power?" Helena sped up her words now, fiercely determined to help Cassie finally come to a decision on what she wanted to do.

"Freedom."

"Love or hate?"

"Hate."

"Do you hate Harry, Yes or no?"

"Yes." The little cat frowned at the mention of the pirate, but quickly cleared her mind as Helena fired the next question.

"Does he scare you, yes or no?"

"Yes."

"Do you want my help, yes or no?"

"Yes." Cassie's dark eyes widened as the word passed through her lips, a slight nausea stirring in her throat as she realised the choice she'd just made. She stared at the girl sat in front of her, the Queen's lips growing into a large and satisfied smile.

"There's your answer, pussycat."

~...~...~

"Tell me _where_ ya got it from!"

"I told you already, I found it."

"Liar."

Uma yawned and leaned back against the stairs leading up into the hallway, repeatedly twiddling and releasing her braids as she waited patiently for Harry to finish up. She clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, her eyes rolling back to stare up at the ceiling as the prisoner's screams echoed through the room a few feet ahead.

Uma had long-since lost count of how long her first-mate had been down here. At first, she'd assumed Harry needed a little 'time-off', so to speak, and after all the work he'd been doing over the previous days she'd simply shrugged it off and let him do as he pleased. Now, however, she knew with certainty that whoever he'd brought down to the cell had somehow triggered his terrifying temper, and by the sounds of things Harry was obviously straightening himself out. But he'd been down here now for at least a few hours, and it was starting to worry her.

When Harry started up with the questions again, Uma finally decided it was time to put an end to this. She was tired, having spent the day working her ass off in the shoppe again, but she wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing exactly what her first-mate was up to at this late hour.

"Harry," she called out, her arms crossed firmly against her chest as she walked into the room. She spared a quick glance at the man who'd been unfortunate enough to piss off her best friend, resisting the small urge to gag when she saw the horrific state he was in.

"Captain," the first mate greeted in return, momentarily turning away from the poor man tied up to the cell bars.

"Who the hell is this guy?" she asked, waving a hand in the direction of the unknown man.

"I dunno." Harry shrugged, reaching over to a nearby crate. "But I foun' 'im with this." He tossed the object in Uma's direction, and the Captain quickly surveyed the item between her fingers.

Uma frowned and tilted her head, carefully running her thumb along the bloodied - but still beautiful - piece of jewellery. "What's this?" she inquired, quickly looking up at her friend.

"Well, Uma, it's a bracelet," he sassed, and she rolled her eyes.

"I know _what_ it is, dumbass. What's this got to do with anything?" She scowled and looked back down, twisting the bracelet back and forth.

Harry took a few steps back and perched himself at the edge of the crate, eyeing the bound man for a moment or two. "I've seen it before. I was gonna nick it when I saw it, 'cause it's got yar colours an' all." Uma couldn't help but smile at that, her fingers lightly smoothing over the pale-blue gems attached to the golden ring of the bracelet. "But before I 'ad a chance ta even try it, I got taken out... by my hook."

 _'Oh shit,'_ Uma thought with a slight grimace, her arms dropping back to her sides as she put the pieces together in her mind.

Two days he'd gone without saying her name, or any mention of her at all really. Not since the night he'd come back after being temporarily held captive by the little cat. It had surprised her greatly that he was so quick to forget, especially since her first-mate adored ranting and raving about the idea of hurting whoever had done him wrong, but she'd just gone ahead and assumed he was too busy to even spare the little one a single thought. With how he was behaving at the moment, though, she had to guess that it was something more than that.

"This is Cassie's?" she asked, though it leaned more toward a statement than a question. Uma already had an idea of why Harry was so pissed off with this guy, but she had to hear it from him first.

"Aye," he confirmed with a sharp nod. "It was in 'er 'stash'. In 'er attic, at tha dragon lady's house." Harry had told her all about Cassie's choice of a 'home': More specifically how damned hard it was to actually get to where she slept. And Uma couldn't deny that she'd been somewhat impressed by the little cat's hiding abilities. It wasn't a place anyone would think to search, and she had to wonder how the guy Harry had tied up even thought to look there.

"He says he found it on the street, huh?" she muttered, slowly approaching the man tightly bound to the cell.

"Yup."

Uma stopped moving when she felt she was close enough, and took note of the bruises and cuts littering the man's body. He had to be in his early twenties, at least, and from the state of his clothes she guessed that he was just another thief running around on the Isle. She didn't know him, and she certainly hadn't ever seen him before on this side of the Isle, but she couldn't help but pity him.

"Hey, wake up asshole," she said loudly, smacking the back of her hand against his bruised cheek in an effort to catch his attention.

The stranger groaned, and grumbled incoherently, his eyes fluttering between closed and wide open. "Who the fuck are you?" he spat.

"I'm the Captain of this ship," she proudly declared. "And I get a say in how long _this-_ " she gestured toward his battered body with her hand, "-goes on. So truthfully, where did you get this bracelet?" Uma raised the object for him to see, allowing him a moment to fully take in the sight of it before she lowered her arm again.

"If I tell you will you untie me?" he asked, a small droplet of blood trickling down the side of his mouth as he spoke.

"On our code," she promised. "I swear that if you tell us-" she quickly waved a hand toward Harry, "-where you got this, then we'll untie you." She could clearly see the hesitation in the man's expression, his half-lidded eyes continuously darting between herself and the first-mate.

"Fine," he eventually agreed, almost begrudgingly. "We snagged it two days ago. Me and a few others found this girl wandering around, wearing more than a few pretty things. We got what we wanted and left, split the stuff between us to sell."

Uma warily looked back at her first-mate, a little unsure of how he was going to take this. Harry _seemed_ okay; He simply leaned forward and stared at the stranger, listening intently to the story he was telling. However, Uma knew better than to go by looks alone, and that even when he looked like he was fine he was far from happy.

"Look if it's yours then take it. I got more, and the girl's not gonna come looking for it if that's what you're worried about."

Uma winced at the stranger's attempts to distance himself from the dangerous situation he'd wound up in, knowing full well that he was only throwing himself deeper into it. If she'd been in that position she would've kept her mouth shut, and _only_ answered when someone asked a question, but this guy clearly wasn't used to being held captive by pirates, and he was letting his mouth run wild.

The crate Harry sat on creaked as he relieved it of his weight and slowly stood, readjusting his fingers around the handle of the bloody hook as he came closer.

"What did she look like, this girl?" the Captain inquired, subtly taking small steps back so she didn't startle the stranger.

"I dunno… small. Wore a lot of black. Pretty little thing, actually." The stranger frowned, his eyes widening as he looked at the two pirates. "She a friend of yours?" He at least had the sense to look shameful at the thought of hurting someone they called a 'friend', but Uma knew he'd already sealed his fate.

"Not so much of a friend, really," the first mate finally spoke, leaning his left side against the cell. "More of an...acquaintance. She's been causin' a bit o' trouble aroun' 'ere actually, an' it's been a bit of a pain in tha rump. Ya sure she's not gonna come lookin' for 'er things?"

The stranger frantically shook his head as much as he could manage. "No, I swear. She's been dealt with."

It was almost painful to watch, but it was all Uma could really do. This stranger had no idea what was going on, or who he was dealing with, and he was way too overeager to get out of his predicament. Whatever he did on the Isle, he was obviously unused to being dealt with by higher villains, and Uma could only guess that he was simply accustomed to small thugs and ruffians on the streets. He was way out of his depth, and soon enough he was going to drown.

"Dealt with?" repeated Harry, his lips twitching at the corners. "Ya sure? She's a bit of a fighter that one, kind'a like a cockroach. Ya think ya've got it but they always come back aroun'."

It was evident that Harry knew exactly what had happened to Cassie that night, but his twisted mind couldn't just get an answer and be satisfied by it. He wanted to drag this out for as long as he could, make this stranger think there was hope when really there was none. He took 'playing with your food' to a whole new level, and Uma never did quite understand how he had to the patience to make it last so long.

"Really?" the stranger asked with slight surprise. "She didn't seem like a fighter...hell, she didn't even try and stop us. No noise, no fight, nothing. It was like she wanted it to happen."

The unknown man didn't notice the quick glare on Harry's face, but Uma did. It was swift, and he masked it well, but not well enough for her to not see it. Either way, it was a bit of a sick relief to now know that she could go to bed soon.

"So, can you untie me now? Ya know, like you promised." The stranger diverted his gaze to Uma, who quickly placed a reassuring smile on her face.

"Just like we promised. Harry, cut him loose."

Harry raised his hook to cut through the ropes, and the stranger dropped to the floor the second he was free from the binds, a pained grunt escaping his mouth as his body met the wooden floor with a loud _thud_.

"Thank you," he gasped, rotating his sore wrists as he rested his back against the cell behind him.

"Don' thank us, lad." Harry wasted no time, swiftly lowering himself to his knees to meet the man's gaze. "We said we'd let ya loose, not let ya go." Before the stranger had time to question the first-mate's abrupt statement, Harry gripped the stranger's throat with his right hand and - after pulling back his left arm - forced his hook into the man's stomach.

"Y-you-" his strained words were ended as Harry put more strength into his arm, sinking the hook in further with a disgusting _squelch_.

"Tha little kitty's life wasn' yars ta take," the first-mate told him, finally showing the stranger just what he thought of the man's actions that night. "It was _mine._ "

Uma yawned and gently rubbed her eyes, tapping her foot against the floor as her impatience grew further. It should've horrified her, or at least sickened her to some degree, but she was used to this from Harry. He wouldn't ever change and she wouldn't try and change it either, just as long as it didn't bring too much trouble to their lives.

It came as a huge relief when the stranger finally succumbed to Harry's aggression, his head drooping to the side as the startled gaze he once held slipped into complete emptiness.

"You really think she's dead?" the Captain tiredly asked, stumbling to her feet.

"I dunno," the first mate admitted with a mutter, using the stranger's shirt to wipe his hook clean. "I doubt it."

Uma nodded, twisting a single braid with her fingers as she thought. "You believe him? About Cassie wanting to die?"

"Hard ta say, but it's a possibility," he replied, raising to his full height. "She wasn' exactly in tha bes' frame o' mind when I left 'er."

"Next time you wanna make someone suffer by leaving them alive, make sure they're not stupid enough to go and get themselves killed first," she snickered, earning a playful glare from her first-mate.

"Eh now! 'Ow was I ta know she'd go lookin' for trouble? It was a firs' for me ya know!"

"Yeah, I get it." Uma tamed down the laughter as she turned back to the stranger. "You gonna clean this up?"

"Nah, 'm tired. I'll get one o' tha newbies ta do it," he said in reply, running a blood-stained hand through his hair.

Uma nodded in understanding. "Sure. What're you gonna do about Cassie?" She knew that if the little cat was really gone then she wouldn't have to worry about her first-mate. He'd fume and vent for a few days, but eventually he'd get over it. What concerned her was what he'd do if Cassie was still alive.

"Hmm, I dunno. If she's gone then there's not much I can do about it. _But_ if she's still kickin' then I'm jus' gonna 'ave ta keep a close eye on 'er, ain't I?" He gave a small shrug and moved toward the exit, unaware of the worry he'd instilled in his Captain.

"Yeah," she sighed, slowly following behind. "That's what scares me."

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

First of all, I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in a while. Real-life can be a bit of a dick sometimes and I struggled with getting this chapter done, but here it is! And I promise I'll do my best to update sooner.

Second, I know there's not much going on in this chapter, it's pretty uneventful compared to the others but there had to be some kind of middle-ground and I thought Cassie deserved a little break. I really do hope none of it seems too rushed or forced, since I really did try my best to make this as interesting as I could, and I do hope you guys enjoy it.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

Shipperandfanficer15; Thank you for your review! And I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, and I really hope you like this chapter.

Mrs Trunks Brief; I'm so pleased to find that people are actually enjoying this story despite it's dark themes, and I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. Thank you for checking out the other stories as well, they're in serious need of re-writing but I hope you like them. I really hope you like this chapter, and thank you so, so much for your review. :)

biankies; Thank you for your review! I hope you like this chapter.

Guest; I'm really happy you're enjoying the darker themes of this story. Obviously 'Descendants' is a Disney movie, so we don't get to see how hard life is on the Isle, and I really wanted to try my luck with a story that covered the truly evil parts of the Isle. I'm also happy to know you're enjoying my OC, especially since keeping a character morally neutral when writing about a place as horrible as the Isle is pretty hard. I really hope you like this chapter, and thank you so much for the review.

Sasha2702; I'm glad you're enjoying everything so far, and your thoughts on Cassie are pretty spot on. She hasn't had it as harsh as some of the others have, but she's developed some issues from her decision to hide away on her own. And yes, the Isle-residents in this story are pretty cruel and twisted - Harry especially. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you like this chapter.

I Swear I'm going to read that; I'm so glad you like it! I really hope you like this chapter. And thank you for your review. :)

slyKat28; Thank you for your review! I'm really happy you like the story so far, and I hope you like this chapter.

Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And much, much love to everyone who've favourited and followed, thank you!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through. If you notice any then let me know. Thanks!)


	12. Kill or Be Killed

Warnings;

. Death.  
. Swearing.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Living in the back room of Helena's salon was - for lack of a better word - unusual. Instead of the taunting silence Cassie had grown used to since her father's unexpected departure only three years previous, the little cat would now wake to loud chatter coming from the salon itself. Instead of waking up in a small pile of blankets and scraps of fabric she'd attempted to pass off as a bed, Cassie now came to consciousness in an _actual_ bed, with pillows and a mattress and a wonderfully thick duvet she couldn't help but cocoon herself in when she eventually woke up. And, with her wounded state, she'd never been more grateful than she was now to be living in such luxury.

Dreamy bedding aside, however, there were a few things about the salon that got old very, very fast. The smell, for one thing. The scent Cassie had inhaled the first time she arrived in the salon, a nose-wrinkling odour that left a horrible taste on her tongue, she soon found out was called Hairspray: A hair product that kept an Isle-resident's hair rooted firmly in place while they went about their daily tasks. The salon reeked of it, both day and night, and it was a smell Cassie knew she wouldn't ever get used to.

How Helena did it, she had no idea.

Cassie hadn't been too sure what to expect when the Queen of Hearts asked her to stay. The little cat hadn't ever had any friends, and the only person she'd ever shared a home with had been her father, so she'd tried her best not to panic over the entire thing. Cassie had only thought she'd stay a week, or two at most, and that as soon as her body had healed she'd go back to her den. After all, she didn't necessarily have to _live_ with the Queen to be taught the many ways of the Isle.

Oh, how wrong she'd been.

The little cat had endured many scrapes and bruises, but none to the extent she'd received on that dreadful night, and she'd been utterly dumbfounded the moment Sophie delicately explained to her just how long it took for wounds like hers to fade. Helena had known the same thing - though Cassie ignored the urge to inquire as to how the Queen knew this - and had been quite adamant that the little cat wouldn't be going anywhere until the bruises faded.

It took four weeks for the harsh injuries to begin healing. During that time there hadn't been much Cassie had been 'allowed' to do. Wandering around the Isle at night was, obviously, out of the question; Not that the little cat would've done so even if she'd been given the 'okay' to. She hadn't quite realised just how bad of a state she'd been in until she eventually climbed out of bed. Thankfully, Sophie was quite the carer, and had made sure to bandage Cassie's ribs to avoid further injury. But even with the soft material around her torso, Cassie soon found out that moving around was a lot harder to manage when one had had the shit kicked out of them beforehand. Stretching out her small body was practically unbearable, and even something as small as a flick of the finger could inflict an agonizing twinge of pain in the little cat's sides. Fortunately, and much to the little one's relief, the rest of her had healed faster. The scrapes and cuts on her knees had long-since scabbed over, and the dizziness caused by the bump on her head could be avoided as long as she didn't whip her head around too fast. She was far from perfect, and she knew it'd be a bit more time before her body was back to full-function, but she was getting better, and that was all that mattered.

Despite the awful injuries she'd arrived on Helena's doorstep with, Cassie's curse remained as strong as ever: Maybe stronger considering how tormented she'd been when she first arrived. And since she'd agreed - though with some coaxing from Helena - to live at the salon while she was healing, she'd had to explain to the Queen of Hearts exactly what to expect from her 'little problem'.

Discussing the curse with Helena hadn't been the same as discussing the curse with Harry. When Cassie had given details to Harry about her 'problem', it'd been a rather reluctant chat on the little cat's part. The smaller details had been revealed when she'd been stuck down in the cells on Uma's ship, a few other tid-bits when she'd been playing ' _Red Hands'_ with the hooked pirate, and the last talk they'd had about it she hadn't been in the right frame of mind. Anything she'd told Harry about the curse hadn't been entirely willing, and often it was while she was under the insane pressure to survive or the threat of being tortured. Each moment with him had been nothing short of agonizing, humiliating, and completely devastating. And even now she knew with certainty that telling him anything - even the little details - about her 'problem' had been the worst decision she'd ever made.

The Queen of Hearts, however, was nothing like the son of Hook. Although, Cassie often wondered if Helena took to the idea so easily because she'd seen the transformation with her own eyes while the little cat had been unconscious. Either way, the Queen had approached the topic one night with great caution and reassurance, and Cassie - who'd been rather deprived of human interaction of the non-violent kind - had jumped at the chance to share her story... though it hadn't been without deep thought on her part. After everything she'd been through with Harry it was only natural she'd be somewhat reluctant to talk about her curse again, but she had to remind herself that there was more to Helena than just her temper and beauty. The Queen of Hearts was more than just a V.K.. She was a mother, and a rather wonderful one from everything Cassie had seen from her. Helena was - unlike the majority of the Isle - capable of sympathising, understanding a situation, and even extending friendship if it was needed.

So, with all of that in mind, the little cat had shoved her insecurities and anxious-thoughts to the side, and fully discussed the details of her curse with another.

Unlike the son of Hook, Helena hadn't shown much interest in Cassie's father or his whereabouts. In fact, the subject of her father hadn't even come into the conversation unless Cassie mentioned him. The little cat explained that she'd inherited the curse on her thirteenth birthday, which - much to the little one's annoyance back then - had been around the same time she'd had her first 'gift' from mother nature, and spoke of her assumption that the curse was only subjected to adults rather than children. And even though she hadn't been an adult when she inherited her 'problem', she still didn't know the full details of her curse or the twisted being that'd cast it on her father in the first place, so the entire thing was simple speculation. She'd explained to Helena that the curse turned her human at night, which had been the main punishment for her father, and that it turned her back into a cat when the sun came up. Even the gruesome details of how much it hurt to make a switch from one to the other was discussed, and through it all Helena had listened intently and without a speck of judgment or glint of a threat in her eyes. And when everything had been said, and the entire situation itself thoroughly discussed, Cassie had finally realised what she'd been missing out on all her life.

The Queen of Hearts and the Cheshire Cat's daughter formed a small friendship during the month Cassie lived in the salon. A routine of sorts had developed between them. During the day, Helena would work from the early hours of the morning 'till late in the evening in the salon, occasionally popping into the back room to check on Cassie and little Gil, and would share meals with the two when she could. Meanwhile Cassie, who was trapped in her kitty form during the day, couldn't really do anything except hover around on the bed and keep an eye on baby Gilzean.

Truthfully, Cassie had been rather hesitant to stay anywhere near the one-year-old while she was confined to the back room. It was his room while his mom worked: A statement that became more than obvious once Cassie noticed the numerous toys and raggedy teddy-bears neatly placed in the corner of the room, and the little cat had been worried when she wondered if the little one would think of her as another toy. However, she'd been pleasantly surprised by the little one. He was quite the noisy little thing, often babbling and shouting away as he enjoyed the toys Helena had gotten for him, but other than that he was rather delightful. Understandably, he'd been quite curious and excited by the sight of the cat in his room, but after countless failed attempts at reaching her on the high bed he'd eventually given up the idea. Every now and again he'd make another attempt, but until his little legs grew and his reflexes became swifter, Cassie's tail was more than safe.

The only hindrance Cassie truly had to deal with on a daily basis was Gil. The blonde-haired, and utterly absentminded, pirate came by at least once a day to see if Helena or Gilzean needed anything, and during his visits Cassie had to make sure she stayed hidden somewhere in the room; An act that would be much easier if Helena's son wasn't constantly seeking her out the moment she jumped down from the bed. Gil might not be the smartest of the bunch, but he'd surely run back to Uma's Chip Shoppe and go on about how Helena had gotten herself a pet cat, and Cassie dreaded to think about what might happen if Harry overheard. And while she honestly loathed hiding from Gil, especially knowing how kind he was after their first - and last - meeting, it had to be done. It wasn't just herself she was looking out for this time, after all.

The little cat still wasn't sure if the hook-wielding pirate was seeking her out anymore. Since she'd been on 'house-arrest', and hadn't been outside since she'd come stumbling into Helena's salon, there was no way of knowing. Although, from her late-night chats with Helena - who was quite the gossip, it seemed - Cassie could only assume Harry had his hands full. Many of Helena's customers had been ranting away about the 'riff-raff' coming in from the shoreline, and they hardly sounded pleased by the fact the pirates were taking over the Isle.

The inner-Isle, despite its crumbling buildings and poor decoration, was significantly different than the outer-Isle. Instead of wood and water, it was stone and concrete. Instead of the salty-sea air, it had fumes from nearby buildings. And, for whatever reason, many villains took up residency somewhere within the area. It was where most of the original villains inhabited, and Cassie had to guess that - for that reason alone - the inner-Isle was 'the best place to be', so to speak. The outer-Isle, where the pirates thrived, was pretty much deemed 'the less-desirable' place to live. Both the inner and outer Isle had its own set of rules, and the residents lived very different lives in both areas.

So, realistically, it was no surprise that those living in the inner-Isle had a large issue with someone from the outer-Isle controlling the place. And Cassie was sure that, in due time, a turf-war would be on the rise.

For now, though, the little cat was rather content with the way things were. And for however long it lasted, she wanted to enjoy it.

"Cassie!" Helena's voice was soon followed by a loud knock on the closed bedroom-door. "Come on, girl! You've been in there for an hour!"

The little cat giggled and rolled her eyes, her gaze swiftly drifting back to her reflection in one of Helena's full-length mirrors. She'd barely been fifteen minutes, at most, but there was no dimming the Queen's impatient nature when it came to playing dress-up.

"Okay!" she yelled back, a small frown tugging at her lips as she ran her eyes over Helena's new creation.

During her days with Helena and Gilzean, Cassie had spent the majority of it in nothing but her birthday suit. This was mainly a safety-precaution, of sorts, since the Queen of Hearts hadn't fully trusted the little cat to stick to their agreement and not go running out onto the Isle the minute she had a set of clothes. The first week Cassie had spent in the back room, she'd been familiarizing herself with the blanket she'd been given, tightening it around herself like an oddly-fashioned dress whenever she turned back into a human. The weeks after Helena had, much to Cassie's relief, given her a red night-gown to wear instead of the blanket, the Queen content with the idea that Cassie couldn't even bare the thought of running around the Isle in something so... revealing, as it were. But now it had been a month since her arrival, and now that her wounds were somewhat healed, Helena had gifted Cassie with some brand-new clothes; Or new by Isle-standards, anyway.

After inhaling a deep and soothing breath, Cassie turned and walked toward the door, slowly creaking it open and revealing herself to the Queen of Hearts.

"So," she muttered, self-consciously smoothing out non-existent wrinkles. "How is it?"

The look of astonishment on the older girl's face could mean either good or bad, and so Cassie didn't think too hard on it. Instead, she waited patiently for Helena to finish her scrutiny.

"Well, how does it feel?" the Queen asked instead, adjusting the baby she held firmly against her right hip.

Cassie gave a small shrug and looked down, inspecting her clothes for what had to be the thirteenth time since she put them on. Her legs were covered by a pair of thick, black leggings, though the lace-up effect running up a slit on either leg would ensure she didn't burn up when running through the Isle. The shirt Helena had chosen was long-sleeved, black as well, and ended just above Cassie's stomach: And Cassie assumed the off-shoulder design had been inspired by the dress she wore before. It was made of a cotton-like fabric, and all-in-all rather comfortable. It was painfully obvious that while her outfit had been created with her in mind, Helena had wanted it to be as fashionable as possible, and had done her best to ensure it met her satisfaction. And though Cassie liked her outfit, she absolutely adored her shoes. They were black, just like the rest of her clothes, but instead of the thin, slipper-like shoes she'd worn before, she now donned fur-lined ankle-boots that slid onto her feet just as easy as her other shoes had. She decided not to ask about the fur itself, since she dreaded to think of what the answer would be, and simply enjoyed herself with the new feeling.

"It feels good," the little cat replied, running her hands over the soft material.

"Yeah, well, I knew you'd eventually be going out again, and after everything you've told me I guessed you'd need something with a little wiggle-room," explained Helena, slowly circling the little cat to have a full look-over. "I didn't wanna get anything too tight, since your ribs haven't completely healed yet. How are they?"

To feel a little better in the clothes, and to distract less attention, Cassie had removed the bandages from her ribs. The area was still a little sore, and though the bruising had faded to a light-green it could still be spotted if she stepped under a bright enough light. As long as she didn't get caught tonight, she'd be fine.

"A little tender, but nothing I can't handle." Cassie gave Helena a small, but reassuring, smile, hoping it would ease the Queen's worries.

In return, Helena pursed her lips, a small sigh escaping her mouth. "Pussycat, if you're not ready..." She left the statement hanging, but Cassie grasped it easily enough.

"Helena, it's just a little trip to the den and back, I'll be _fine_." The little cat stepped forward and lightly stroked Gilzean's cheek, his little eyelids fluttering sleepily at the action. "Seriously, I'll be back before you know it," she added, seeing the hesitant expression on her friend's face.

"Pussycat, I'm not your momma, okay? I can't force you to stay in. But I am going to tell you to be careful. The pirates are hovering around lately and it's got everyone on edge, especially since they're meant to be collecting soon." The Queen of Hearts made a very good point with that one. "If you're not back by sunrise I'm leaving Gilzean with his daddy and I'm coming for you myself, got it?" Helena wasn't one for false threats, and Cassie knew full well her friend would stick to her words.

"Home by sunrise, got it," she assured, lightly bouncing on her feet. "Can I go out now?" An amused smile stretched Helena's lips, and Cassie couldn't help but do the same. It was nice that she had someone looking out for her now, and while she was appreciative of everything Helena had done for her so far, the entire thing had gotten a little annoying. The little cat had spent four years alone, surviving the Isle streets at night, and this night would be no different than the rest.

"Can you at least tell me why you're going back?" the Queen inquired, stepping aside so that Cassie could head toward the door.

"I'm just going to grab my stuff," was Cassie's quick reply, her excitement running high now that she was finally about to go out again. She practically skipped across the chessboard-styled floor, swaying from foot to foot when she stood still. She'd been waiting weeks for this, and she was more than ready.

As amusing as it was to witness a sixteen-year-old girl bursting with delight at the thought of wandering the _Isle_ of all places, Helena decided to end the torture. "Fine. But remember-"

"Back by sunrise," droned Cassie, finishing her 'mentors' sentence. "I swear I'll be careful." She didn't want to somehow insult Helena with her happiness, since there was a small risk the Queen of Hearts would take offence to Cassie's urge to leave the salon, and the little cat hoped Helena understood exactly what this meant for her.

Helena pursed her lips, though the way the corners of her mouth tilted upward in laughter gave Cassie a little reassurance. Of course the Queen understood her enthusiasm. After all, Helena had been - if Cassie was correct in her assumption from all the stories she'd heard - quite the troublemaker on the Isle before she'd fallen pregnant with Gilzean, so she had to relate in some way to Cassie's current joy.

"Go have fun, pussycat."

That was all Cassie needed. After giving Helena a large smile and small wave, the little cat skipped toward the door and yanked it open, closing it gently behind her the second she stepped out onto the Isle streets.

There was something oddly euphoric about being outside again. Her human senses, though not as sharp as her feline's, heightened the moment the cold air swept across her skin. It was just as quiet as it had been the last time she'd been out, although occasional rattles and scattering noises echoed from different directions. She could now - faintly - see that the Isle residents had cleaned up the majority of mess after 'riot night', and aside from a few boarded-up windows and sturdier doors, everything appeared just as it had before Maleficent and the four traitors had disappeared.

As Cassie quietly moved through the street, still drowning in the high of breathing in moderately-clean air, she kept her guard up. The memories of her 'bad night' were still as vivid as ever, and there was a good chance the group she'd walked into were still lingering about somewhere. The risk of running into them was worrying, of course, but there was also a new threat she had to watch out for; One that terrified her more than anything.

The brutality she'd faced that dreaded night hadn't, thankfully, tampered with her mind much. Her feet took the familiar path back to the den just as they had a month ago. This time, though, she stayed on the ground rather than climb the rooftops. Her body was still healing, after all.

On her journey to Bargain Castle, Cassie noted the subtle differences scattered here and there. Before 'riot night' there had been beautiful works of art decorating the walls, portraits of Maleficent, Jafar, Queen Grimhilde, and Cruella De Vil, wonderfully spray-painted around each corner. The words 'Long Live Evil' and 'Core Four' had also been painted in numerous places. Now, however, the artwork had been defiled, so to speak. Someone, most likely the pirates judging by the new paintings, had gone out of their way to spray-paint over the former drawings. Instead of 'Long Live Evil', Cassie now read 'We Ride With The Tide'. And the portraits had been covered up with a teal-blue, and rather large, skull-head with a tentacle wrapped around it. All of this was proof of the new ruler of the Isle, and a stern warning that sent Cassie's stomach turning.

The pirates really were taking over.

Just as she'd promised Helena, Cassie went straight toward Bargain Castle without any stops. She routinely scoured the area for any signs of life, and sprinted across the gap separating the Castle from the alleyway.

The familiar trek up the stairs didn't bother Cassie one bit, though mainly because the last time she'd come down them she'd been in a bit of a self-wallowing daze. However, when she finally came to the top, and just outside of Mal's balcony doors, she faltered.

 _'Hello kitty,_ _kitty'._

Cassie frantically shook her head, as if the motion would shake Harry's voice from her mind, and her right hand slowly smoothed across her bruised stomach. There was absolutely no reason for Harry to be in that room, and the rational side of her mind knew full well he was elsewhere, but she couldn't quite ignore the nagging voice in her head yelling at her to keep her eyes on the balcony doors, the red flags in her mind flying high as if the hook-wielding pirate were about to pop out anytime soon.

"C'mon, you can do this." The little cat repeated the words of reassurance, hoping to soothe herself into making the last leap toward her beloved den. It didn't work as well as it should've, since she hopped over the railing and onto the wooden beam with maybe too much haste and fear, but it did the trick.

Soon enough, the Cheshire Cat's daughter was perched on her window, her right leg hanging inside the den while the other swayed on the outside. She stayed where she was for a second, taking this moment to drink in the sight of her old home, but the moment of familiarity and ease dropped as soon as she saw the inside of her den.

Before her departure, it hadn't been much of a home to begin with. Aside from her 'bed' and stash of 'special things', there had been no traces of it ever being occupied by a living thing. It'd been her safe space, and where she slept, and she hadn't ever felt the need to decorate the place since all she did was sleep there. But it had been _her place_ , and that in itself meant more to her than anything else.

Now, though, the entire den was empty.

Cassie hurriedly jumped through the window, the floorboards beneath her feet creaking at the weight of her hard drop. She looked to the right, where her nest of blankets had once been, and found every single one gone.

"Oh no," she gasped, a sudden nausea welling up inside her stomach. If the most useless items she'd had inside the den were gone, then the most valuable things she'd kept here would also be missing.

Frantically, Cassie stormed toward the space her 'stash' should've been, her eyes watering when she finally accepted what had happened.

Someone had raided her den.

A wave of overwhelming emotion crashed down on the little cat the second she saw the empty space. Sure, the items hadn't exactly been hers when she obtained them, but they'd been hers the moment she brought them back into her den. Her 'special things' had all been beautiful, gleaming, and individually unique. It didn't matter that she'd hardly put them to any use, and had left them in a pile in the corner of her den. They'd been _her_ things.

And now they were gone.

The little cat sniffled and kneeled down, half-heartedly wiping the teardrops from her eyes before they could escape. Part of her knew she was being a little ridiculous about this. After all, the items she'd collected hadn't truly held any sentimental value for her, they'd only been pretty objects that'd caught her attention at the time. But they'd still been hers. She'd gone out of her way to look for them, risked her life when taking them, and experienced an overwhelming joy when she brought each and every one back to her den.

So, _maybe_ they did hold some sentimental value... in a strange way.

In her distressed and devastated state, it took Cassie a little longer than she was proud to admit to see a small, shiny object only a few inches away. Curiously, she crawled across the floor, and eagerly grasped the object in her small hands when she got close enough. The thief, whoever they were, had somehow left this thing behind by accident.

At least, that's what she first thought. Further inspection of the golden bracelet brought about a strange, breath-stopping moment, in which Cassie realised that she was more familiar with this object in particular.

 _'That's a pretty bracelet you got there, mind if I take a closer look?'_

The little cat gagged and dropped the piece of jewellery, leaning back to put her backside on the floor. She'd worn it on her last night out, and it'd been taken from her sometime during the beating she'd received from the thugs she'd sought out that night. It wasn't the object itself that had her spiralling into madness - although the dreadful and threatening voice echoing inside her head was far from welcome. No, what had her head running laps was the fact that she hadn't seen it since that night, and she had absolutely no idea how it'd made its way back into her den.

Brows furrowed in utter confusion, Cassie lifted her head just slightly, wracking her brain for any reason - or believable thought - the teal and gold coloured bracelet would've wound up inside the den. But, unfortunately, she couldn't think of one.

Cassie wasn't sure how long she stayed in that spot. With her mind in pieces and an unbearable ache in her chest, there was no true way for her to tell just how much time she wasted in her saddened state. Eventually she moved, her actions slower than before since her body seemed to weigh itself down to the floor, and she turned to head back toward the window.

 _That_ was when she saw it.

Obviously, the sight of her den having been completely emptied out by someone had been enough to distract her. When she'd first arrived she hadn't thought to look around some more, since the only things she cared about had been her 'bed' and 'special things'. The thought that someone had left a calling-card, of sorts, hadn't even entered her mind.

And yet, there it was. A large, red-painted, and very detailed hook surrounding her window. The point began at the top left corner of the entrance, the body curving over the entire side until it finished just below the perch. It was incredibly obvious who'd put it there: She'd have to be an idiot not to guess who it'd been. And though a swell of rage burned inside her small form, Cassie couldn't quite erase the bewilderment that came with it.

The only other person to ever be inside the den had been Harry. At some point during Cassie's stay with Helena, the evil pirate had come back to the den and stolen her things, and made damn sure that, when Cassie eventually came back, she'd know exactly who cleaned her out. He must've had help, too, since the little cat could fully recall how terrified he'd been when taking the path into the den, and he'd surely made someone else do it instead.

However, the one thing that had her puzzled was the bracelet. The thugs who'd taken it from her had been inner-Islanders, and there were enough pawn-shops in the middle of the Isle for them to go to. But somehow the bracelet they'd taken from her had wound up in Harry's hands, and Cassie couldn't even begin to wonder how that happened.

Confusion aside, the spark of anger inside of her was fanning into a full flame, heating her skin as the true thief became clear. Cassie's hatred for the red pirate hadn't dulled at all during her time with Helena, if anything it'd remained the same, and gave more meaning to the Queen's words when Cassie woke up from her two-day nap.

 _'He brings out your 'villain'.'_

Truer words had never been spoken... at least not to Cassie anyway. Harry, it seemed, hadn't been content with the state he'd left her in the last time they spoke. He'd given her the impression that, as long as she was miserable with her life, it was enough for him. From her current surroundings, though, it hadn't been. Instead of leaving her to the dull and painful life she'd been living before she moved in with Helena, Harry had gone one step further and made the rather cruel decision to take the only two things that'd meant anything to her back then. He'd gotten her back for every bad move on her part, and the little cat fleetingly wondered if there had been a specific motivation for the raid on her den. Realistically, though, she knew there wasn't one. Harry was a true V.K., and as evil and twisted as one expected them to be. He adored the chaos, and the pain he caused, and this was simply another example of that.

The son of Hook had made his move, and now it was Cassie's turn. She knew she should just go straight back to Helena's place, rant away to the older girl and hope that - by the morning - her outrage would calm itself down. But she was so, so angry. The situation between herself and Harry wasn't, as she'd previously thought, as simple as it'd been. He wanted to push her to the edge, to see how much he could get away with before she fought back. He was winning the terrible game they'd started and - as hard as she tried - Cassie couldn't bring herself to let it slide.

And so, with adrenaline pulsating through her veins, and an uncomfortable heat suffocating her body, Cassie made a firm - and possibly suicidal - decision.

She was going back to Uma's ship.

~...~...~

Going back into pirate territory had never crossed the little cat's mind after her last encounter with Harry. Back then, she'd been completely content not to have to see him ever again, and not even her urge to find 'special things' could drag her back into the outer parts of the Isle. Now, though, everything was different. Whether it was due to the month she'd spent in Helena's salon, the amount of suffering she'd endured at the hands - or hook - of the red pirate, or the anger driving her forward, Cassie wasn't sure. Either way, she was pissed, and in desperate need of some retaliation.

Although this reckless decision of hers was rather abrupt, she wasn't going into it completely blind. Cassie knew the risks of being caught by one of Uma's crew, or even Harry himself, and the risk of death only enhanced her caution and safe-movements. She also knew that, should she be questioned, there was no way in Hades she was throwing Helena and Gilzean under the carriage. The Queen of Hearts had gone against all Isle standards and expectations by taking in the little cat, and had even made sure Cassie stayed in bed and healed before wandering back out into the Isle. So even though Cassie's entire life had been based off of self-preservation, she'd sooner bite off her own tongue than give up the only person who'd helped her on the island prison.

Journeying back to pirate territory was a little harder than getting back to Bargain Castle. Cassie knew full well that, if she hadn't climbed up onto the rooftops, there was a slim chance she'd have arrived by morning. But thanks to the very few street lights remaining, and the moonlight illuminating the ocean on the other side of the barrier, the little cat was able to find her way back to the place she loathed so much.

When Cassie eventually found herself in the market place, carefully perched atop one of the many wooden beams, she scanned the area thoroughly. The last thing she needed was someone catching her out and running off to tell Uma or Harry. This was more of a fleeting visit, so to speak. If things went well, and she really prayed they would, she'd be in and out before anyone knew she'd been there.

After safely determining the area was clear, Cassie climbed down from the rooftop. Where she'd once approached the rickety bridge connecting the dock to the pirate ship with hesitation and fear, she now darted straight across without a hint of worry. She hadn't known Harry back then, and that night she'd been focussed only on acquiring a 'special thing'. This time she had a very specific goal in mind.

After all, she remembered Harry's little 'stash' just as well as he'd remembered hers.

Cassie kept her movements quick, her feet silently moving across the deck and down into the hallway inside the ship. She flew past a few doors, and the empty space she knew led down into the cells, until she soon reached the room she'd come here to find.

The little cat was visibly surprised when she was able to enter the room. She'd expected Harry to have learned from the last time and made sure to lock his bedroom door when he wasn't there. Cassie wondered if, with the pirates now making their way through the Isle, he'd gotten a little more arrogant during that time. Maybe he was getting cocky, and under the impression that no one in their right mind would dare enter his personal space the way she was now, at the mere risk of being on the end of his hook.

Unfortunately for Harry, and possibly Cassie herself, she hadn't exactly been in the right frame of mind since her father left.

Unlike last time, where the lantern had been lit, Harry's room was now engulfed in darkness. Everything was the same as it had been the first - and last - time she'd come into his room. The bed was unmade, clothes littered the floor, and - much to Cassie's excitement - his little 'stash' was still there. Although, it'd grown significantly since she'd last saw it.

Cassie hadn't been too sure what Harry had done with her 'special things'. She'd assumed he'd sold them, and used the money for himself or the crew. Now she knew he'd only added her things to his own, creating a rather impressive treasure hoard atop the desk in his room.

With a quick glance toward the bedroom door, which she'd left open to let in the light, Cassie approached the desk. Opening the flap on the shoulder-bag Helena had been kind enough to lend her, Cassie grabbed handfuls of the jewels and 'special things', a wince crossing her features as the items jingled and knocked together every time she shoved them in. It didn't take too long for her to take back what he'd stolen, and after a split-second of thought, she filled the rest of the bag up with Harry's own collection.

This was retaliation, after all, and this was an 'everything or nothing' type of situation.

When her shoulder bag was full, and uncomfortably weighing down her right side, Cassie closed the flap and tied the strings, making sure nothing would fall out when she made the journey back to Helena's salon. Until she was safely back inside Helena's place, she wouldn't get too overconfident with her success, but she couldn't exactly shove away the oncoming pleasure at having done so. There wasn't much she enjoyed in life, but getting one over on Harry had certainly become her favourite obsession.

The little cat smiled and lifted her arm, removing the bracelet from her wrist and slowly lowering it down onto the desk. It looked rather odd amongst the maps scattered across his desk, but if she was right - and he had been the one to leave this in her den - then he'd know exactly what it meant.

As she turned to leave the room, Cassie heard the faint thuds of boots against the flooring of the ship, and her heart jumped in her chest. Whoever it was, they were coming down into the ship, and there was nowhere for her to run this time.

Cassie frowned, her dark eyes darting about the room. It was only a small space, and there wasn't anywhere safe enough for her to hide. Not that she could see at first. But soon enough, when the footsteps grew louder, the little cat's eyes lit up when she noticed the space between the bed and the floor. It wasn't much, and it would be a tight squeeze, but she was small enough.

Getting underneath the bed itself was - she found - rather difficult. Cassie moved fast when shoving infinite amounts of clothes aside, dropping to her stomach and shuffling across the uncomfortable wooden floor until she was hidden from view, along with the bag of trinkets.

Cassie waited patiently underneath the bed frame, her bottom lip clamped firmly between her teeth, while her dark eyes stared through the small gap between the bed frame and clothes. All she could visibly see was the floor, and should anyone enter the bedroom she wouldn't be able to tell exactly who it was, since she'd only see their feet.

The footsteps stopped just outside the open door, and Cassie held her breath for a moment. Everything was eerily silent, and she struggled to calm her erratic heartbeat, inhaling and exhaling deep, slow breaths through her nose until the mystery visitor disappeared.

The silence didn't last too long, though Cassie's sliver of relief was short-lived. Abruptly, the door swung open, colliding against the wall with a loud _bang._ She flinched at the sound, withholding a squeak of surprise with the back of her hand. Her stomach churned with a sudden sickness, and her ribs ached painfully from her current position. Despite the hurt, she stayed exactly where she was, knowing full well that moving even an inch could get her caught.

Apprehensively, the little cat watched as the pair of thick, black boots pounded against the floorboards as the mystery person moved. She twisted her head to the right, following the shoes until they stopped in front of the desk.

An echoing _thud_ met her ears, and Cassie flinched once more. She hadn't been completely sure who'd come into the room, but from the aggressive sound of a fist meeting the desk, the little cat knew exactly who it was.

"Oh, I'm gonna kill tha little fucker." As soon as the words were growled out into the silence of the room, Harry's feet moved back toward the door and right out of the room, the thuds becoming faint as he hastily made his way up on deck.

The second he was gone, Cassie grasped her opportunity for freedom with much enthusiasm. She attempted to ignore the strain in her stomach and ribs as she slid out from underneath the bed, her hands shakily yanking the shoulder-bag back up into its rightful place. With no way of knowing what Harry was up to, or if he planned on coming back to his bedroom sometime soon, she couldn't waste any time.

After a quick investigation to make sure the hallway was clear, the little cat scurried toward the steps leading up onto the deck. Briefly, she paused, peeking her head out to find any sign of the hook-wielding pirate, but found no trace of him anywhere nearby.

Cassie quietly stepped onto the deck, crouching low as she manoeuvred behind a wooden pillar just behind the entrance. She kept her arms close to her sides, her right arm nervously coming across her bruised stomach, and waited. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she listened for any warning that the pirates were close by.

It was rather difficult to listen for any sounds of oncoming attackers when all she could truly hear was the waves crashing against the sides of the ship, the vessel creaking loudly as it swayed from side to side. The noise wasn't going to ease anytime soon, and Cassie simply had to assume she was alone again.

The little cat peered from behind the beam, fearfully searching the area, and - after mustering the last of her courage - Cassie sprinted across the deck and over the bridge, hiding behind one of the stalls as soon as she was able.

Much to the little cat's relief, the hard part was over. Climbing up onto the rooftop, with a bag full of jewels and other precious items, was a bit of a struggle, but with a rush of adrenaline - caused by the horrifying thoughts of what could happen when Harry came back - she managed just fine.

As soon as she was up on the roof, Cassie allowed herself a small moment of relaxation. With her knees pulled back to her chest, and the bag balancing between her stomach and thighs, she attempted to regulate her breathing and calm her mind. She might not be out of pirate territory yet, but the worst part of the night was over, at least.

"Where tha fuck were ya, eh?!" Harry's voice was loud and full of anger, and easily overpowered the strength of the noisy waves surrounding the Isle.

"Look, I'm sorry, I was gone for five minutes!"

Cassie stayed as still as she could, though she did lean forward a tad to get a better look at the commotion going on below. Just a few yards away, her worst enemy stood with someone she hadn't seen before: A young pirate who, despite being the same height as Harry, was clearly thinner and less muscled than the hook-wielding teenager.

Unlike the inner-Isle, which was illuminated by streetlights at night, the outer-Isle relied on well-placed lanterns to light up the paths and streets. It was good, since it meant Cassie wouldn't be seen from her spot on top of the roof unless someone knew she was there, but also bad, since the flames held within the lanterns hardly shined much light on the area itself. It barely revealed the pirates having a rather heated argument, only allowing a silhouette of the two.

"I don' want yar excuses, lad. Where tha fuck were ya?!" yelled Harry, jamming his fist into the other boy's shoulder.

Whatever was said, Cassie couldn't hear. Unless they were shouting there was no way for her to fully understand their words, and so she merely watched, squinting slightly in the hopes they'd become clearer to her curious gaze.

Unfortunately for her, Harry and the unknown pirate kept their voices to a moderate level. But even though they weren't shouting at each other any more, Cassie could visibly see the growing danger between the two, and her sympathies truly went out to the skinnier pirate dealing with Harry. She'd been on the receiving end of his temper more than once, and she knew exactly how difficult and terrifying it was to deal with someone like that.

As the minutes wore on, Cassie lost interest in the conversation between the two pirates, and she precariously raised to her full height above the wooden roof. All she wanted to do now was go back to the salon, change into the nightgown Helena had given her, and tuck herself into bed.

And maybe she would've done just that, if her eyes hadn't flickered back to the pirates the moment she was on her feet.

Since the two pirates were now stood directly underneath one of the lanterns, Cassie received a perfectly clear view of the heart-wrenching act taking place just a few spaces ahead of where she was. The second it was done, all sounds fled from her ears, replaced with a strange ringing and the unrelenting pounding of her heart beating in her chest. It kept her firmly rooted in her spot, and for some peculiar - and rather disturbing - reason, she couldn't bring herself to look away.

She saw _everything._ The switch in Harry's expression, simple annoyance turning into a murderous glare in a short second. The way he kept his hook against the other pirate's neck, distracting him with one weapon while his right - and sneakier - hand gripped the handle of his sword. He curved his hook into the pirate boy's shirt, yanking him forward with great speed, and drove his sword through the poor boy's stomach.

Cassie didn't utter a single sound; Not that she could've if she wanted to. Her tongue, it seemed, had securely trapped itself against the bottom of her mouth. She knew she had to run, to get as far away from the shoreline as possible, but she just couldn't. It could've been the horror keeping her in her place. She'd never seen someone get killed before, and the fact that it was being done by someone she'd had numerous violent encounters with made her feel awfully sick. Or it could've been the unexpected guilt she experienced. After all, if she hadn't been stupid enough to go into the ship in the first place, and take back what was rightfully hers, the pirate boy being run through wouldn't be bleeding out on the floor.

By the time Cassie fully acknowledged and accepted what she'd just witnessed, and convinced herself that this wasn't some sort of twisted nightmare, the pirate boy was laying lifeless on the floor. Even from the awkward angle in which she was watching the entire thing, Cassie could still see the wide-eyed expression of complete fear frozen onto his face.

The little cat finally exhaled a shaky breath, the realisation of exactly where she was, and how much danger she was in, giving her the nudge she needed to yank her eyes away from the terrible scene in front of her. Even the knowledge that she was safe as long as she stayed on the rooftop gave her no comfort. As long as people like Harry lived on the Isle, she'd never be truly safe. And she had to start remembering that.

~...~...~

The Cheshire Cat's daughter yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as a strong wave of fatigue washed down over her body. Her eyes itched terribly, and the temptation to let them close was overbearing, but her inner-thoughts just wouldn't slow down long enough for her to even attempt it. It seemed that, even now, hours after she'd witness the brutal killing over in pirate territory, her head just wouldn't - or couldn't - let it go. It played the moment over and over again, smaller details Cassie hadn't even noticed at the time now becoming clear. For whatever reason, the atrocious and unnecessary murder she'd witnessed was having quite the effect on her.

But, of course, Cassie knew exactly why she was unable to sleep so easily tonight.

The little cat knew exactly what kind of person Harry was. He was ruthless, cruel, and more than happy to cause someone a great deal of pain if he thought it was needed. And even though he was the same age as her, Cassie never would've objected the idea of him killing someone. If anything, she expected as much from the son of Captain Hook. Seeing him shove his sword through that poor boy's stomach with a disturbing amount of ease wasn't what taunted her mind. Although, she had to admit that witnessing it first-hand was significantly more terrifying than simply imagining it in her head. The amount of times _she_ could've been the one on the end of his sword, or hook, was understandably upsetting.

However, as the night wore on, Cassie finally came to understand why she was feeling so dreadful about the entire thing. Seeing it had been horrible, yes, and it'd certainly caught her off guard the second it happened. Hell, it'd knocked the air right out of her. But the one fact that had the dreaded moment stuck on a loop inside her head was that _she_ was the one who caused it to happen.

One side of her mind argued that she should've been grateful; Grateful that it wasn't her on the end of that bloody sword. After all, she was rather skilled at keeping herself safe, and not once had she ever worried about throwing someone to the wolves as long as it got her out of trouble. On the other hand, though, she felt immense guilt eating away at her insides. If she hadn't been so stupid, then that boy never would've been caught and killed.

"You alright, pussycat?"

Cassie dragged herself out of her deep thoughts and looked up, meeting Helena's worried gaze. "I'm fine," the little cat whispered in reply, nuzzling her cheek into the pillow separating her head from Helena's thighs.

It'd taken a full hour for Cassie to explain everything to the Queen of Hearts. She'd come back to the salon in quite the state of distress, and Helena had approached her with great caution as soon as she noticed the expression on the little cat's face. It'd taken some gentle coaxing on the Queen's part, and a great deal of frustration on Cassie's, but eventually the story came out.

Cassie hadn't been too detailed with the explanation. All she'd said was that she'd seen someone get killed, and that it'd scared her more than she ever thought it would. There was absolutely no way in Hades she could tell Helena that she'd willingly gone back to Uma's ship to retrieve her stolen items, and that in doing so she'd enraged the hot-tempered pirate fixated on making her life miserable, and thus ended the life of a young man who'd made a small mistake. She'd promised Helena she'd be careful, and she dreaded to think of how angry her 'mentor' would be if she found out the truth, so Cassie kept the majority of the night to herself.

After admitting what she'd been unfortunate enough to see, Cassie had been brought into the back room by the Queen of Hearts, and the older girl had remained silent as she'd helped the little cat prepare for bed. Cassie hadn't questioned Helena's silence; If anything she'd been rather relieved for it. The reality of what she'd seen was still settling in her mind, and being questioned about it wouldn't help her in the slightest. It was something Cassie had to handle herself, and in her own way, and the Queen of Hearts somehow understood that.

"Was it your first?" asked Helena, slowly weaving her fingers through Cassie's long, mousy-brown strands of hair.

The little cat furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Was it the first time you've ever seen someone get killed?"

Wordlessly, Cassie gave a small nod. The fact that Helena even had to ask that question was enough for Cassie to know that the Queen of Hearts had seen her fair share of murders. And from the single conversation they'd had involving Helena's mother, the little cat had a small feeling that her new friend had - at some point - done it herself.

Helena gave a faint hum of understanding. "The first one's always the worst. It's like a reminder, I guess, of how bad things are here."

"I don't know why I can't get it out of my head," the little cat whined, lightly shaking her head. "One minute they were arguing, and the next..." Her words trailed off into a long, shaky sigh. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Well," the Queen of Hearts muttered, absentmindedly staring at her fingers as they untangled Cassie's locks. "Better now than later, right?"

Cassie knew the older girl was doing her best to make her feel better, but her argument in this was slightly worrying. Truthfully, Cassie would've preferred to go the rest of her life without ever seeing what she'd seen tonight, and she'd much rather have been forced to witness it later on than now.

"With all the pirates drifting in and out of town, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a few more bodies on the streets. Everyone's on edge lately, Cassie."

The little cat hadn't truly noticed any substantial differences out on the Isle tonight. Aside from the tags spray-painted all over the walls, the Isle looked exactly the same to her. But the Queen of Hearts ran a salon, and her customers adored chatting away about whatever was going on. The shift of power sweeping through the island prison was catching everyone off guard, maybe more so since the only ruler they'd really had since the villains had been thrown onto the Isle had been Maleficent. There had been a system in place then, and everyone knew exactly where they stood. But ever since 'riot night' the whole Isle had spun into disarray. With the pirates in charge now, it meant new alliances and agreements, and on a place like the Isle, accomplishing something as simple as that wasn't exactly easy.

"I heard this morning that the King over in Auradon is changing the shipments," the Queen admitted.

"How so?" asked Cassie.

"Instead of twice a month, the ships are only gonna be coming in once a month. I dunno, I guess Maleficent busting out scared the shit outta them, and they're trying to make sure no one else gets through the barrier."

The shipments from Auradon came in on the first of each month, and then again two weeks after. Each time closely resembled an all out battle, higher-class villains and street rats all rushing to be the first to dig through the boxes and find the most valuable goods. Cassie had been witness to it once, when she'd gotten curious about the commotion and decided to follow Maleficent and her goons down to Goblin Wharf. The former ruler of the Isle had gotten first pick, and only after her allies had also gotten what they wanted had she allowed the rest of the Isle to dig in themselves. It'd been chaotic and vicious, but it had been controlled by the 'Queen' of the Isle.

If Helena's gossiping customers were right, and the King had truly made the idiotic decision to lessen their shipments, Cassie dreaded the thought of what would happen to the Isle.

"It's gonna be a bloodbath," the little cat pointed out, and the Queen nodded in agreement. "The Isle's barely scraping by as it is, and with Maleficent gone everything's going crazy." Cassie hadn't even liked the horned woman: She'd always been rambling about her former victories, or yelling and berating her daughter for countless reasons Cassie had long-since forgotten. But the former Isle ruler had had a way of running the Island, and there had been some kind of structure then.

"I know. Things are gonna get a lot harder here, pussycat. But I'm trying to make a point here."

Cassie bit down on her bottom lip, an inquiring expression crossing her face. "What do you mean?"

The Queen of Hearts inhaled, seemingly reluctant to explain to Cassie what was going through her mind. "I mean, people are gonna get nastier out there. If you're gonna stick to these night-time walks of yours, you have to know what might happen. Or what you might have to do."

Cassie swallowed down the bile rising in her throat, a sudden pang of dread and disgust welling up inside of her. "I know what you mean," she grumbled.

Truthfully, the very idea of taking someone's life scared the absolute shit out of Cassie. Yes, she always looked out for herself, and when backed into a corner she had no problem fighting back. But killing was something entirely different. The night she'd fought Harry was an obvious example of how much she loathed the idea. He'd gotten stuck on the way into her den, and without her help he surely would've fallen to his death. If she couldn't even take the life of someone as evil as Harry, then how could anyone expect her to do it with a stranger?

"I know you don't like it, pussycat," said Helena, and Cassie looked up once more. "You're not capable of doing something that bad. But it's a 'kill or be killed' world over here, and if you don't think you can handle it then you shouldn't be going out." The Queen's voice was quiet and gentle, but the truth of her statement was as firm as ever.

"I-I don't know if I can," whispered Cassie, somewhat timidly. She didn't want to disappoint her friend by admitting how weak she was when compared to the rest of the Isle, but she couldn't lie to her about this either.

"Cassie, if you knew even half the crap I'd done on the Isle just for the hell of it then you wouldn't even be here. I'm not a good person, pussycat, but I have my moments. I like you, really, but I have to know you can go all the way. If you're gonna stay here with us, I need to know you can do whatever it takes to help protect us. If, Hades forbid, something happens to me in the salon one day, you'll be the one here with Gilzean. You've been running way too long, pussycat. It's not all your fault, it's what your daddy taught you, but that ends here. If it comes down to it, and you have no option, I need to know you can do it."

When it came down to the situation of fight-or-flight, Cassie chose the latter every single time if she could. She knew it, and Helena knew it too. It wasn't that surprising, really. The Queen of Hearts had been nice enough to take in the little cat, help her gain her strength, and give her a safe place to sleep. So, all-in-all, it was only natural for the older girl to want some kind of loyalty in return. She wanted... no, _needed,_ to know that Cassie wouldn't run out on them at the first sign of trouble. She needed to know that, in a dangerous situation, Cassie would fight alongside her if need be. Helena loved her son more than anything in the world, and she needed the reassurance that - should something happen - Cassie would do whatever it took to keep the little one safe.

She had to know if the Cheshire Cat's daughter would kill for them.

Cassie was beginning to see the downsides to a friendship on the Isle. They had to protect each other, and defend the other to the death. It wasn't all late-night talks and shared meals, or playing dress-up whenever they felt like it. Loyalty was hard to come by on the Isle, and protecting someone else also fell into the same group. Cassie had always been rather selfish, what with her nightly routine of 'special thing' finding, and her willingness to hurt others as long as it meant she got home safe. She wasn't evil, she knew that, but she could be rather wicked in her own way.

For four years now, Cassie had only ever looked out for herself. Now, though, she had a friend. Someone who could get hurt if Cassie did, or said, the wrong thing. If she wanted to continue her friendship with Helena, and keep living at the salon, it meant giving up some of her self-preservation. It could get her hurt, or even killed, and it went against everything she knew.

But she already knew her answer.

"If it keeps you guys safe, I'll do it." Her answer was short and simple, but the Queen of Hearts took it with a large, beaming smile.

"Thanks, pussycat."

* * *

AN;

Happy New Year everyone! (Bit late, I know, but still.)

First of all, I'm really sorry for the lack of updates lately. Real-life got in the way - again - and I went through a bit of a 'Harry Potter' phase, where I couldn't concentrate on anything but the Weasley Twins, and for that I apologise. But I'm back now, and I really, really hope I can get the next update done sooner than this one.

So, no Harry/Cassie moments in this chapter. The two will be running into each other again soon but, for now at least, I wanted to focus more on Cassie and Helena. I know there wasn't much going on, but I'm slowly throwing myself back into the 'Descendants' universe and I'm being careful about it. I didn't want to give you guys a half-assed chapter that was rushed or anything, but I do hope you liked this one.

Right, review time!

Shipperandfanficer15: I'm so glad you liked the last chapter! I don't know why it felt rushed to me, maybe because I was slipping out of the 'Descendants' universe it didn't feel like I'd put as much effort into it as I usually do. Either way, I'm really glad you liked it, and thank you for the lovely review.

mollichine: I'm good, thank you, just went through a period of writers-block is all. Hope you like this chapter! And thank you for the review.

ReaderFreak5000: Thanks for the review! And I'm glad you're enjoying the story. To answer your question... yes, I did use the name of the actress who played the Queen of Hearts in the live-action 'Alice in Wonderland'. I adore the actress, and it just so happened that her name went well with the character for my story. Also, I'm really pleased you enjoy how the characters are portrayed. Obviously this story is a little darker than most, so I was worried some wouldn't take to it so well, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. And I hope you like this chapter.

bromple: Here is your update, and I'm so happy you're enjoying the story. Thanks for your review!

Guest: I'm very well thank you, and I hope you are too! Thank you so much for your wonderful review, it really brightened my day when I saw it. I wanted to create a moderately-believable story that described how horrible things are on the Isle of the Lost, while at the same time, giving some more detail to characters we didn't really get to delve into as much, and I'm so glad that you're happy with the way I've done it. My main character is going through some personal development, and she does have a long way to go, but the new friendship between herself and Helena will cause some changes in her. I really hope you like this chapter, and again, thank you for the review.

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you thought of this chapter. And much, much love to everyone who've favourited and followed the story as well. There's too many of you for me to put in this A.N. but you guys are all awesome!

(Any typos or misspells will be corrected once I've had another read-through. If you notice any, let me know. Thanks!)


	13. As Long As It Takes

Warnings:

. Swearing.  
. Mentions of animal abuse/death (But nothing too graphic)

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Cassie swept up the remnants of hair from the salon floor, routinely tossing the last strands into Helena's 'Wig Making' bucket. She spared a glance to her right, a small smile tugging at her lips when she heard Gilzean babbling away, the black-haired baby playfully tugging at Helena's brown curls.

"They found another one today, y'know."

Just like that, Cassie's moment of content was swept away. Her smile fell, and she pursed her lips, praying with every fibre of her being that Helena wouldn't see straight through her.

"I think I've lost count of how many there've been now," the Queen continued, keeping her voice light for the sake of little Gilzean.

"Twenty-eight," the little cat mumbled sombrely, re-capping the lid of the bucket with a little too much aggression. She knew she had to be careful: She couldn't give Helena any reason to suspect something. However, hiding her utter distain for the hook-wielding pirate was proving far more difficult than she'd anticipated.

It'd been two weeks since Cassie had last ventured out into the Isle. After witnessing the unfortunate pirate boy's demise, and the lengthy discussion she'd had with Helena about her loyalty, the Cheshire Cat's daughter had thought it best to lay low for a little while. After all, she was certain that - after her trip onto Uma's ship - Harry was looking for her, or he'd at least sent the word out to the rest of the crew, and Cassie had no desire to run into him again.

From what Helena had heard in the salon, though, Cassie knew full well he was eager to run into her.

It had started the day after she'd been to the ship. At first, no one had given it a second thought. The Isle was dreadful, and people were twisted and cruel, so it was no surprise to anyone. But then it kept going. Another was found the morning after, then another after the sun had gone down, and on and on it had continued. There didn't seem to be a pattern: Not one the Isle residents could figure out, anyway. What was left of the poor creatures were scattered about the inner-Isle, some left in the middle of the street, while others were dumped haphazardly in alleyways. No one knew who was so committed to such an atrocious act, and though the animals weren't exactly first priority, it was beginning to unsettle the inner-Islanders.

The witches were understandably outraged. Whenever a fresh one was found, everyone knew about it. Harsh, ear-shattering screeches echoed from the Witch School just around the corner, the former-magic beings mourning in their own twisted way. For a small time, the Islanders thought the witches were the intended targets. It made sense, after all, since the witches doted on the furry animals. But if that'd been true, then the animals would've been left outside the school itself, and not randomly placed. Either way, the witches weren't taking it well, and they made sure everyone knew it.

It was horribly stifling for Cassie. She spent the majority of her day as a feline, and now that numerous cats of all shapes, sizes, and colours were being dumped around the Isle in various states of dismemberment... well, it certainly sent her into a fit of rage and upset. More so since she knew exactly who was doing it, and why they were doing it.

Harry was calling her out. In his own vile and wicked way, the son of Hook was attempting to force the Cheshire Cat's daughter out of hiding, and if he kept it up - which she knew he would - then he would eventually succeed.

The Queen of Hearts hadn't questioned Cassie: Not at first, anyway. At the beginning, everyone had assumed the brutal killings had been a random, one-off kind of thing, and that included Helena and Cassie. Now, though, Helena's suspicious had piqued. The little cat didn't have to be looking at the Queen to know she was being closely watched, and Helena wasn't subtle in her scrutiny when she occasionally mentioned that another violated feline had been found. The Heart girl was looking for a reaction from Cassie, something to confirm her assumption that the Cheshire Cat's daughter was somehow involved with the new terror going about the Isle. Helena wasn't an idiot, and Cassie knew she was going to have to tell her eventually.

"You've been keeping count, huh?" the Queen said with a raised brow, gently bopping Gilzean up and down with her thigh.

Cassie shrugged. "It's kind'a hard not to." She carried the bucket toward the cupboard and shoved it back in its rightful place, brushing her thighs with her sweaty palms as she stood. "Anyone have any idea who it might be?" she asked, grabbing a piece of cloth from the side to wipe down the mirrors.

"Nah. Honestly, though, it could be anyone. There're a lot of sick freaks running around the place."

Cassie hummed in agreement, and ignored the yelling voice in the back of her mind demanding that she tell Helena who it was. She knew it wasn't right what was happening to her fellow felines, and the fact she had the ability to stop it had drowned her in exhaustion and unrelenting pain since she realised what was going on. If she was a stronger person, both physically and mentally, then maybe she would've put an end to it by now. But there was no way in Hades she was going to willingly surrender herself to Harry. Even without his sadistic tendencies and unbeatable strength Cassie wouldn't have attempted it, since the pirate crew had grown significantly since she'd first journeyed into their side of the Isle, and going against Harry meant going against Uma.

It took the little cat a moment or two to realise she was being called. When Helena's voice finally came through her ears, she looked up from the worktop she'd been cleaning.

"This is really hitting you, isn't it?" the Queen stated.

"Of course it is," replied Cassie, a sliver of irritation passing through in her tone. "They're just cats, Helena. They might not be like me but that doesn't give anyone the right to hurt them like that." She tossed the cloth to the side and sat in one of the salon chairs, nibbling away at her bottom lip once again.

Helena gave a small and somewhat understanding nod. "Yeah, I know. But we don't know who it is, pussycat. So we can't do anything about it."

The urge to give in and tell Helena what she knew was overbearing, but telling Helena that it was Harry killing all the cats also meant telling Helena she'd gone back onto Uma's ship the night before his nasty rampage started, and Cassie couldn't stand the idea of getting into an argument with her friend. The little cat was already feeling terribly guilty about the dead-cat build up, and anything else added onto it might make her explode.

"Okay, that's it." Helena stood up from her chair and balanced Gilzean on her hip, an exasperated sigh passing through her lips. She came forward and held Gilzean out in her arms, offering the little one to the sitting cat.

Silently, Cassie took hold of the baby, a curious expression crossing her face as she bounced Gilzean on her lap.

"I've been quiet about this long enough. Something's going on out there-" Helena pointed toward the window, gesturing out to the Isle, "-and I know you know what it is. You know I won't scream, shout, or try to hurt you as long as Gil's awake and in the room. So spill it." The Queen of Hearts stood straight, her arms crossed firmly against her chest while she looked down at the little cat, her foot tapping against the chessboard floor.

Cassie hesitated. She looked down at the baby in her arms, who was happily sucking away on his fist while he played with Cassie's hair, and then she looked at Helena. The little cat knew with certainty that Helena wouldn't do anything to upset her little one, but the information Cassie had to share wasn't exactly a smooth topic of conversation. Unfortunately, though, Helena was annoyingly stubborn, and Cassie had a feeling the Queen wouldn't let her move from her chair until she blabbed.

Maybe it was because of the emotions Cassie had been allowing to build up over the last few days, or maybe it was because Helena's stare was unrelenting and completely uncomfortable, either way the little cat knew she had to say something now, or deal with a nagging Queen of Hearts for the next week or more.

"It's Harry," she finally said.

"Harry?" the Heart girl repeated, and Cassie gave a quick nod. "Why would Harry be ripping apart little kitty-cats?"

"Because I ticked him off."

Helena's brows furrowed in confusion. "I thought he got you back for that?"

Cassie averted her eyes, slightly reluctant to divulge the full truth to her friend. "He did," she mumbled, avoiding eye-contact for the time being.

"But then why would-" Helena paused abruptly, and Cassie curiously peered up. The Queen's eyes were narrowed as she thought, her head tilted to the side. "You did something else, didn't you?"

"Sort of," the little cat said with a shrug. "He did something first, though, after that night, and I didn't know about it until I went out two weeks ago. But yeah... I did something else."

The Queen of Hearts groaned. "Pussycat, what did you do?" She quickly pulled up one of the chairs and flopped down into it, preparing herself for what Cassie had to say.

"He took my stuff, so I took it back." Cassie kept her answer short and to the point, knowing it wouldn't do either of them any good to beat around the bush. Besides, Helena was clever enough to figure things out without too much detail.

"He took your jewels."

"Yup."

"So you took them back."

"Uh-huh."

"And he's killing kitty-cats because..."

" _I_ think he's trying to get me to come out of hiding."

Helena rolled her eyes. "Well... he definitely doesn't take this kind'a shit lightly," she muttered, lightly soothing her forehead.

"You don't say," the little cat sarcastically retorted, tickling Gilzean's toes with her index finger. A smile came to her face when he gave a heart-warming giggle, but the joyless topic being discussed refrained her from experiencing too much happiness.

"He has to know I'm not living at the Castle anymore, and that's probably driving him mad. He doesn't know where I am, or what I'm doing, or who I'm doing any of this with. All he really knows is that I took back my stuff." Cassie paused then, her stomach turning painfully. "If I come out of hiding he'll probably kill me. But if I don't, then he's gonna keep killing cats until I'm the only one left."

Helena had attentively listened, a look of deep thought upon her face, and after a minute or two of silence, she spoke, "What if there was a way to make him stop without risking your life?"

"Then I'd take it," answered Cassie, not a trace of hesitation in her voice. "If I could tell Harry to cut this shit out, and do it without getting myself killed, then I would definitely do it."

The room fell into silence again, aside from Gilzean's incoherent babbling and cooing, and Cassie waited patiently for Helena to voice whatever kind of plan she had in mind. The Queen of Hearts shuffled around on her chair, apparently unable to get comfy, but the little cat knew better. Plus, with the way Helena's dark eyes darted this way and that, and how she gently swayed her head from side to side, it was obvious enough the Heart girl had some kind of idea forming. From her erratic facial expressions, though, Cassie had to wonder if the Queen's plan was going to be good for them, or if it'd bring even more trouble to the little cat's already hectic life.

"I _might_ have a solution, pussycat."

Cassie's brows raised in surprise. "Huh?"

"I need you to listen carefully, pussycat, alright?" Helena's voice was quiet and worryingly grave, and Cassie knew she had to pay close attention. "I wouldn't be offering you this if I thought there was another way, but with the way Harry's going I don't think you've got any other options. I have a few... friends, I guess, that could help you out."

The little cat knew by the way Helena said 'friends' that these people weren't exactly friends, per say. Allies, most likely. But with the way the Queen was discussing this with her, Cassie had a small feeling that this wasn't Helena's idea of a good plan.

"Who are they?" she inquired.

"My old crew," the Queen replied with a nervous giggle. "I haven't seen 'em in a while, but I know they're still hanging around somewhere. If I send the word out, I could have 'em here tomorrow night. But it's completely up to you, pussycat. How desperate are you to get Harry off your back? Once and for all?"

Cassie inhaled a deep breath, diverting her dark eyes to the little baby in her arms for a moment. Helena was giving her a great opportunity here: The very solution to her Harry-related issue. But if it was such a wonderful idea, and it would make her life a lot easier, then why on earth did she feel so conflicted?

The Cheshire Cat's daughter hadn't known Helena before she had Gilzean. However, what she did know was that the Heart girl she'd befriended wasn't the exact same girl who'd tormented the Isle before Gilzean had been born. Cassie had heard little tales of Helena's time before Gilzean, and from the little she'd heard, the little cat knew deep down that Helena hadn't been a good person. The Queen of Hearts had tormented, abused, and killed people on the Isle; Probably just for the fun of it. Helena's wild nature and fiery temper had been dulled down due to baby Gilzean, but from the sounds of it, her old 'crew' hadn't gone down the same path. For all Cassie knew, they were worse than Helena, and the little cat had to give this some thought before giving her answer.

"I-I don't want Harry dead," she managed to say, unable to hide the discomfort the idea of killing someone gave her.

Helena vigorously shook her head. "They won't kill him. Not unless you ask 'em to. Besides, if they kill Harry that brings a ton of shit down on all of us, not just you. Nah, they'll hurt him a little, just enough to keep him away from you."

Cassie loathed to admit it, but the offer was quite tempting. It was only natural for her to want some harm to come to the red pirate, especially when she thought over everything he'd so happily put her through since they met. If their roles were reversed, and he was the one to decide such a thing, she knew full well he'd take it within a second. Harry was cruel, terrifying, and gained great pleasure from the pain of others. He deserved it, really.

"What if it doesn't work?" she wondered.

"Pussycat, trust me, it'll work. I used to run with these guys, I know how they handle things here. They're no threat to me, but... damn, I feel bad for whoever gets on their bad side. I swear to you, if you wanna do this, Harry will never hurt you again." Helena's expression was entirely serious, and Cassie couldn't sense any trace of a lie in her voice, but she still hesitated.

"I don't know, Helena. I mean, you've done so much for me, and I'm so grateful for that. But I don't wanna owe these people any favours-"

"It won't be a favour to you," the Queen stated firmly, interrupting Cassie's worries. "It'll be a favour to _me._ I like you, pussycat. I like having you around, and so does Gil." Helena nodded toward the baby in Cassie's arms, who immediately raised his head at the sound of his name. "Harry's making you miserable, and I hate seeing my friends unhappy. I told you once that Harry had a little help when he was making a name for himself. I told you that he has Uma, and the crew following her. _You_ have _me_ , and as your 'teacher', I'll do whatever I can to make sure no one fucks with you again."

Cassie sighed, her mind swaying further in favour of the idea. "What do _I_ have to do?"

"You have to want this," said Helena, leaning forward in her seat. "If we do this, you're putting yourself out there, just like we talked about. You'll have allies, including me and my old crew. Your name won't be some little rumour wandering around the Isle anymore, pussycat. People are gonna know you're here, and I need to know you're ready for that."

And there it was: The very reason Cassie had decided to stay with Helena in the first place. The little cat's old life had been nothing but lonely, boring, and painful. Nothing had satisfied her then, including her 'special things'. Sure, she'd been hidden away from the rest of the Isle, but Harry's brutal appearance in her life had swiftly put an end to it. Now, though, Helena was giving her a way out. The Queen of Hearts was tempting Cassie with everything she'd ever longed for. Friendship, power, and a reason to live. The Isle would finally know who she was, and what she was capable of doing. It meant putting herself on the spot, and going against the very rules her father had worked so hard to engrave into her mind.

No more hiding, and no more running. It was _finally_ time.

"I'll do it." Cassie didn't realise the words had actually escaped her mouth until Helena smiled.

"I'll put the word out."

The little cat laughed, partly due to an overwhelming sense of nervousness and fear. "Is it wrong that I'm terrified?" she inquired, hoping the older girl wouldn't judge her for saying such a thing.

Helena reached out to take back Gilzean and - much to Cassie's relief - shook her head. "Nah. It's common sense to be worried about something like this. But don't worry, pussycat, with me behind you you'll do just fine."

~...~...~

"Gil!"

The son of Gaston looked up from his tray of food, his mouth already stuffed full with chips as he stared at his Captain. "Hmm?"

Uma rolled her eyes. "Where's Harry?" She hadn't seen her first mate for a good few hours now, and it was rare of him to not show up when the sun had gone down.

"The ship," mumbled Gil, his words barely coherent due to the ridiculous amount of food he was attempting to swallow down.

The teal-haired Captain paused, a silent curse passing through her lips. She spared a glance at the door, where the rest of her crew were coming through, chattering loudly to each other about whatever they'd been doing today.

Just as she'd planned, she and her pirates were steadily taking over the Isle. Instead of her crew numbering just seven, herself, Harry, and Gil included, there were at least fifteen of them now, and she was still receiving offers from others on this side of the Isle. And, thankfully, she hadn't received any trouble from outsiders just yet. The inner-Islanders hadn't been too pleased at their appearance in Maleficent's old territory, but after being given a glimpse of the destruction and pain her pirates could cause if the inner-Islanders didn't play by their rules, they'd soon shut up.

Everything was working out perfectly. Her crew was growing larger, her shoppe had more customers now than it ever had, and with the money they received from stores around the Isle, she was slowly beginning to make improvements to their ship. For maybe the first time in Uma's life, her plans and hard-work weren't going to waste, and there was no Mal or Core Four this time to ruin their fun.

However, despite fulfilling one half of their 'dream', it seemed her best friend had gone and lost his mind in the process.

Uma huffed and called out to one of her newer waitresses, a local pirate girl named Kara, and told her to take over. In response, Kara gave a sharp nod and got to work, taking over the orders Uma had already taken.

Without giving any word to Gil or her crew, Uma stormed out of the shoppe and headed for the ship, her fists clenched in utter irritation.

The Captain adored her first mate, and she really hated the idea of using her title against him, but he wasn't giving her much of a choice nowadays. She partly blamed Cassie for his current obsession, since he'd been pretty normal - or as normal as someone like Harry could be - before the little pest had made an appearance. On the other hand, though, Uma had to accept that this was just how Harry was. Sure, he was loyal, sometimes kind, and could be as mature as the rest of them when he felt like it. But there was two sides to her friend, and the half of him he never used against her terrified her beyond belief.

After Harry had killed the thief down in their cells, he'd gone back to his usual self. He'd been furious at the thought of someone else killing Cassie before he could, but eventually he'd come to accept it. Just as Uma had expected, his tantrum had only lasted a few days, at the least. He'd gone out each night before the sun went down, most likely to Cassie's hideaway, and came back an hour after sunrise. Each time he returned, his face was void of emotion, and Uma knew he hadn't found her yet. His persistent behaviour had ended after about a week, and the Captain had been quite baffled when - on his last night - he'd taken two of their crewmates with him. She hadn't been too sure what to expect that night, but knowing that her first mate had to work out his aggression in his own way, she hadn't asked about it. But the morning after, her best friend had come back a changed man. He'd waltzed into the shoppe with a gleeful smirk on his face, his usual swagger back in full swing, and Uma's curiosity had pushed her to ask what he'd been doing. After all, Harry only ever looked that happy when he'd done something completely awful, and if she was going to help him through it she had to know what'd happened.

Uma walked over the bridge and onto her ship, swiftly moving down the stairs and into the hallway. When she arrived at the top of the steps leading into the cells, she stopped, absentmindedly twirling one of her braids as she prepared herself to speak to the first mate.

Honestly, she felt absolutely ridiculous. This was just Harry: Her first mate and best friend. There was no way he'd hurt her. Although, he'd been experiencing some mood-swings lately, and while Uma was confident in an argument or fight, she couldn't possibly go against Harry. They went way back, so there was some kind of emotional attachment involved, and that alone would niggle away at her mind, preventing her from doing too much harm. Plus, with his larger build, and greater experience in duelling, she couldn't win against him if it came down to it.

When a faint _meow_ echoed from down in the cells, Uma righted herself. She pushed her uncertainty and sliver of worry to the back of her mind, putting on her façade of indifference and strength once again. _She_ was the Captain, not Harry. If she wanted to run the Isle the way she wanted, and control her crew, then she had to put her foot down when it came to him as well.

The Captain slowly descended the stairs, the light dimming as she entered the cells. She wasn't surprised to find Harry, since he'd spent most of his time over the last two weeks in this particular part of the ship, but she was rather bewildered to find him stroking one of the furry Isle pests.

"Harry," she sighed, leaning against the right side of the entryway. "What are you doing?"

The first mate sat on top one of the crates, his legs stretched out in front of him. His red leather coat was neatly spread across the crate just behind him, his hook and tricorn hat on top. In his arms, he held a thin, short-haired cat with big blue eyes.

"They're kind'a cute, ye know," he muttered, his fingers gently scratching beneath the cat's chin.

"If they're so cute then why d'you keep killing them?" wondered Uma, gesturing toward the other four felines, securely trapped within cages they usually used to fish for crabs.

Harry looked up from the black and white cat, raising a brow at his Captain. "Ye know why, Uma."

Uma knew that if she wasn't so busy running the crew and shoppe, she'd be running around the Isle herself, dead-set on locating Cassie before Harry could. If the Captain had her way, the little pest would be at the bottom of the ocean by now, and unable to twist the first mate's mind more than she already had. From the few encounters Uma had had with the Cheshire Cat's daughter, she knew with certainty that Cassie wasn't sure how to deal with someone like Harry. But even without meeting her, Uma would've been able to trace the naivety in the little cat. Whether Cassie knew it or not, every move she made against Harry was making a move against herself. In the end, only one of them was going to be able to win this game, and Uma knew exactly who she was putting her bet on.

"How long is this going to go on for?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "As long as it takes."

A humourless laugh of disbelief passed through Uma's lips. "This is crazy, Harry. It's been two weeks since you started this..." she trailed off into silence, waving a hand toward the trapped felines. "You have to stop. It's not gonna work."

"Oh, it'll work," the first mate assured. "I'm a patient man, Uma, an' I can wait 'er out." He quietly clucked his tongue at the cat in his arms, and the unknowing animal purred in approval, nuzzling the side of its head into Harry's fingers.

"What makes you so sure this'll work?" asked Uma, sitting down on the bottom step.

"When we were climbin' up ta 'er den, she saved me... sort of. I got stuck. She could'a shoved me off, but she didn'. I saw somethin' in 'er eyes that night, Uma. An' I saw it before, when we were playin' in tha shoppe." Harry leaned forward, slowly so that he didn't startle the cat, as if he was about to share some big, life-changing secret. "She can' hurt people, Uma. She doesn' have it in 'er. Cassie's a clever girl, an' I know she's figure out by now that it's me plantin' little 'gifts' for 'er. She'll come ta me soon. I can feel it."

The Captain soothingly stroked her temples, positive her recurring headache was Harry's fault. His obsession with drawing out Cassie was beginning to drive Uma mad. Much like a cat with a mouse, Harry's grudge against the little cat wouldn't waver until he was bored, or she was dead. Which one was going to occur first, though, Uma had no idea.

"You've got two days."

Harry looked up, a somewhat astounded expression crossing his features. He'd probably anticipated a fight from his Captain, or that she'd demand he put an end to this right away.

"If she doesn't come to you within two days, you stop. I'm giving this order as your Captain, Harry. Don't you dare make me do this again." Despite aiming for a more firm and authoritative approach, Uma found her voice had taken on more of a plead, with obvious tints of annoyance. But it wasn't her fault. She'd watched Harry go through his emotional and mental breakdown, and it hurt her just as much as it twisted him.

Thankfully, Harry didn't seem to want to put up an kind of argument. In reply, he gave a quick nod.

"O' course, Cap'. Two days."

~...~...~

"Cassie, get up."

The little cat groaned in evident displeasure, twisting around beneath the blanket that covered her. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, her chest slowly rising and falling with the motion, in an attempt to calm herself down from the fleeting wave of panic that came with her transformation.

"I can't," she whined, blinking furiously at the Queen of Hearts.

Helena, it seemed, was in no mood to deal with the little one's antics tonight. She gave a quick eye-roll and reached toward the dresser, withdrawing Cassie's clothes from the drawers.

"They're here," she announced quietly, throwing the clothes onto Cassie's face.

Due to temporary fatigue, her aching limbs, and a pressing need to gulp down whatever liquid she could manage to get her hands on, it took Cassie a little while to figure out what Helena was going on about. After a minute or more of silence, in which the little cat half-heartedly searched through her brain for a reason to Helena's sudden impatience, she finally pieced it all together.

 _They_ were here.

Cassie gaped, her erratic emotions darting from surprise to anxiety. "Already?" she managed to whisper.

"I told you, pussycat, they don't fuck around."

Some small part of Cassie hadn't been too sure the strangers would show up, and it was this part of her that also hoped they wouldn't. It was painfully obvious that she wasn't the best at making a good impression, and meeting people she didn't know for the first time was largely draining. The only person she could remember being fine with had been Sophie, but that'd mainly been because the girl was so small and shy that it was hard for Cassie to feel intimidated. Sophie wasn't a threat to anyone except herself, but the same couldn't be said for Helena's old crew.

Cassie manoeuvred up into a seated position, a grimace of discomfort flashing across her face. The ache wasn't too distressing, but it didn't exactly help her current situation.

"Take your time, pussycat," the Heart girl reassured, moving to sit at the edge of the bed.

"Sorry, I was under the impression I had to hurry my ass up," the little cat snapped, pulling the blanket away from her damp skin.

Helena shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's just... it's been so long. I haven't seen these guys since I had Gilzean," she explained, respectfully covering her eyes with one hand while Cassie dressed herself.

"That's a long time," said Cassie, her voice no longer sharp now that the after affects of her transformation had worn down. She wiped the remainder of sweat from her body with a towel she kept close by, and tugged the black pants up her legs.

"No shit," the Queen remarked with a strained laugh.

Cassie didn't mean to go so slow while dressing, but she couldn't quite help herself. She was awfully nervous. And she couldn't hide how pleased she was that Helena had her eyes covered, preventing the Queen from sensing the nerves radiating from the little cat.

"So, is there anything I need to know before meeting these guys?"

Helena peeked through the gaps in her fingers, lowering her hand when she noticed Cassie was no longer indecent. "Yeah," she began, quickly moistening her lips with her tongue. "There's five of 'em. I doubt your daddy did anything to their parents, so don't worry about any inherited grudges. They're gonna try and throw you off a bit, maybe push you to see how far you can bend." Helena got to her feet and circled the bed, standing directly in front of Cassie. "You can't take their shit, pussycat. It's just a game, okay? They did it to me, too, and I'm still here. However you act with my crew tonight is how the Isle's gonna see you after. This is _your_ night, pussycat."

If Cassie had held any hope of dismissing her worry, it'd surely been tarnished by Helena's words. Her stomach turned, her palms sweated, and the unbearable temptation to sprint from the salon was nagging away at the back of her mind. The weight of this evening, and how much it could mean for her, came down heavily on her shoulders, drowning her with insecurity. These people had been called to the salon to help her, and even though they'd only come because of Helena, it was Cassie giving the orders, so to speak. She needed their help, but they wouldn't offer it without a guarantee that she could follow through with the plan. Tonight, Cassie would have to dive down into the darker parts of herself, and hide away the kindness she knew was there. Tonight, she _had_ to be a villain kid.

Even if she wasn't.

"How do I look?" she asked, gnawing away at her bottom lip.

Helena smiled and reached for something behind Cassie. When she stood back up again, the little cat realised that - during her 'moment' - she'd completely forgotten about her 'ears'.

"There," the Queen sighed, after neatly placing the headband onto Cassie's head. "Now you look like one of us."

Despite the fact she wasn't entirely evil, Cassie couldn't ignore the satisfaction she felt at Helena's words. It was an odd thing, to gain the approval of someone else, and Cassie was startled to realise that it was something she quite enjoyed. She had to wonder if it was because of her dad that she felt that way. After all, she had no idea who her mom was, so there was no way for her to know if the woman would be delighted at how Cassie had turned out. The Cheshire Cat had hardly been vocal when it came to how he felt about Cassie, and though he hadn't been horrid or unfair, neither had he shown any inkling of pride when it came to his daughter. Hell... the last time she'd seen him, he'd been the exact opposite.

Maybe Harry was right. She really did have daddy issues.

"You ready, pussycat?" the Queen inquired.

Deciding that whether or not Harry was right about her, and that thoughts about her father, wasn't the best thing to go through right now, Cassie gave Helena a simple nod.

"Then let's go." With that said, Helena headed for the closed door, and patiently waited for Cassie to follow.

Cassie couldn't refrain from whispering a small curse when she realised her confidence couldn't be forced. Her stomach was still wounds in knots, and now that she was heading for the door, a concerning nausea had started to rise. Silently, she did her best to calm her frantic thoughts, reassuring herself that there wasn't any danger here, and that even if there was, Helena had promised to look out for her. The only thing Cassie had to do tonight was play a part, and do it successfully.

Surprisingly, it was the memories of meeting Harry and Uma that cleared up the little cat's dilemma. Obviously the two meetings hadn't gone well, but in their own strange way, they were perfect examples of Cassie's ability to be a villain kid. Running away from Harry on the first night they met wasn't exactly the ideal image of typical V.K. behaviour, but the bits and pieces leading up to it had been close enough. She'd stood her ground when he accused her of being a thief, and when he'd pushed her she'd pushed back just as hard... maybe harder, considering he'd tried to attack her that night. And the evening she'd met Uma, her viciousness had been in full swing. It didn't matter that both occurrences hadn't ended too well for her, what mattered was that - at least for a little while - she was her worst self; Her Isle self, so to speak.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter frowned as she thought, coming to the conclusion that when her Isle self made its appearance, it was always during times of great stress and fear. The exact same things she was feeling at this particular moment.

With all of this in mind, Cassie moved quicker, a strange, self-assured type of feeling running through her small frame. She didn't need to doubt herself, not after everything she'd been through. She'd taken on Harry Hook himself, and though she was starting to lose their game, she'd still put up a good fight in the process.

Cassie trailed behind Helena as the Queen moved through the dinner room, and past the shimmering red curtain that separated it from the salon. Helena's movements were graceful and purposeful, she kept her head high and her back straight, and the little cat could practically see the dangerous aura outlining the Queen of Hearts. Maybe, in time, Cassie would also be able to give off the same dark vibe, but for the time being she had to stick to what she knew, and pray to whatever god was out there that it worked out well for her.

As soon as Helena went through, noisy chatter erupted from the salon area, and Cassie paused. She closed her eyes and listened closely, taking in the multiple voices - both male and female - coming from the salon. They sounded rather delighted to see Helena, but the same couldn't be said when it came to her.

"So, why'd you ask us here, baby?"

Whoever it was that asked that question, had a distinctively deep and husky voice, and the fact it was so clearly aimed in Helena's direction had Cassie's head spinning.

"I actually need a favour."

The hesitation Cassie could hear in Helena's tone was enough to push the little cat into moving. She couldn't disappoint or humiliate Helena in front of her friends, not after everything the Queen had done for her so far. Helena was risking her reputation tonight by asking her friends to help Cassie, and the little cat had sworn her loyalty, after all.

As quietly as she could, Cassie pulled back the curtain, holding it behind her back with her right hand, while she steadily leaned her left side against the entryway. If the group actually turned their heads, or realised there was someone else in the salon, then they'd be able to see her. For now, though, Cassie decided to leave them to it, while she simply observed for a second.

The first person she noticed was a boy, stretched out in one of Helena's salon chairs with his legs thrown over the arm. He was tall, that much Cassie could tell, and thin. His head was turned to the left, but she could see his facial features clear enough. Dark hair, almost brown, cut short with a fringe that swept across his forehead. His nose was long, and curved slightly toward the end, but that didn't distract from the appeal. He was quite the handsome one, but since he was dressed head-to-toe in black, Cassie had no true way of knowing who his villain parent was.

The girl next to him Cassie recognized almost immediately. Mad Maddy, some called her: Granddaughter of Madame Mim. She was a regular at the Witch School around the corner, and insanely fond of the cats that roamed the area; Cassie included. Despite her boisterous personality, it was Maddy's hair that stood her out from the crowd. At first, it appeared to be a blue-ish type of colour, but in the light Cassie could detect hints of aqua-green thrown into the mix. Even on the Isle, such a colour was strange when it was on someone's head, and the little cat often wondered how it became that colour in the first place.

To Mad Maddy's right, there was another girl - one Cassie didn't recognize - leaning cautiously against the vanity table. She had a round face and pointed nose, and her frizzy black hair fell down to her waist in corkscrew curls. The clothes she wore - a black and red plaid dress over a black, high-neck sweater - highlighted her obvious curves in a way Cassie assumed drove most of the Isle residents crazy. Her black tights were ripped with multiple ladders, and her feet covered with black, thick-heeled shoes... quite like Helena's. Again, Cassie had no idea who this girl's parent was, since the purple cloak she wore threw off any noticeable details of parentage.

Eventually, Cassie's gaze drifted to the last two of the group. On closer inspection, however, the little cat realised that the two boys had the exact same appearance of one. Twins. Both were tall, large in build, and wore the exact same clothes. With short black hair, and a strong jawline that Cassie somehow recognized, there was no ignoring just how gorgeous they were.

"What kind'a favour?" one of the twins asked Helena, and Cassie realised it was the one who'd spoken while she'd been hiding behind the curtain.

The Queen of Hearts looked back over her shoulder, directly at Cassie, and gave a relieved smile. "One for my friend."

Since Helena hadn't turned her head away, but instead turned her body in the little cat's direction, the rest of her crew followed the line, and Cassie fought against the urge to bolt the second she felt their eyes dragging across her body.

"Pussycat, this is my crew," said Helena, taking this moment of silence to begin the introductions. "Anthony Tremaine." The first boy. "Maddy." Cassie already knew that one. "Ginny Gothel." The little cat hadn't realised Rapunzel's kidnapper had started wearing purple. "Gaston Jr.." The twin with his hand on Helena's waist. "And Gaston Jr. Jr.." The other twin, who was currently holding little Gilzean. "Guys, this is pussycat. But most call her Cassie." The Queen finished with an overexaggerated wink, and Cassie rolled her eyes.

Kitty-cat, kitty, and pussycat: Never Cassie. Maybe she ought to change her name.

"I've never seen _you_ before." Mad Maddy removed herself from the straddle position she'd had on the chair, her aqua-green eyes meticulously roaming over the little cat's appearance. She came in close... maybe a little too close in Cassie's opinion, but the little cat let it slide.

"Actually, I think you have," said Helena from the other side of the room. She released the Gaston twin's hand and walked forward, meeting the green-haired girl's gaze. "My little pussycat here has a secret, one I think you'll enjoy." The Heart girl was wonderfully taming the situation for Cassie, and giving her a clear path to travel down in the way of bringing her into the conversation.

This was it. It was finally Cassie's time.

"I can turn into a cat." She kept her voice to a normal octave, but the fact she was saying her secret out loud, and to strangers no less, somehow made her feel like she'd shouted it out to the whole damn Isle.

It didn't surprise the little cat that this caught the attention of Helena's crew. Maddy's bewilderment was a little more visible, since she was stood so close, but when Cassie glanced at the others, she could clearly see the way they perked up in curiosity and intrigue.

"How?" This time, it was Ginny who spoke up, and the demanding edge she took wasn't lost on Cassie.

"It's a family curse," the little cat explained, crossing her arms. "Someone in Auradon cursed my dad, then tossed him onto the Isle. So, no, I don't have magic. Just in case you guys were wondering." From the frown of displeasure on Ginny's face, Cassie knew full well that'd been the next question.

"A cat huh?" wondered Maddy, tilting her head to the side. "Are you one of mine?"

The number of cats that came through Witch School was unknown to Cassie, but it had to be close to thirty. The normal felines knew by now that Witch School was a safe place for them, somewhere on the Isle for them to find food, warmth, and affectionate touches if they needed it. Madam Mim's granddaughters were a personal favourite to many of the cats, and during her time inside the building, Cassie had started to notice the 'regulars'. The cats who - as soon as they entered - went straight toward their favourite witch, and hardly ever moved from their side.

Cassie, though, was most definitely not a normal cat. She didn't play favourites with the witches, and she very rarely hung around the school for too long. She simply went for the closest witch and took what she could get.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter shook her head. "Nope."

In response to Cassie's answer, the non-magic witch stood straight, a sly smirk playing at her lips. "Do you wanna be?" she whispered, her quieted voice only heard by Cassie and Helena.

Cassie blinked, her eyes widening just a fraction. The way Maddy's eyes consistently flickered down, with a strange gleam of something or other shining within, and the playfulness in which she'd asked that question, reminded the little cat of Harry. When he'd first caught her in the ship, he'd given her the same look, and just as she had then, Cassie was torn between the odd tingles drifting across her skin and the red flags of warning steadily rising in her mind.

"Easy, Maddy," the Queen of Hearts said through her giggles, taking Cassie's right hand into her left. "She's a little too innocent for you." Helena tugged at Cassie's hand, moving the girl away from Maddy, and into the middle of the room.

"So, what's this favour?" asked Anthony, and Cassie looked over. She couldn't guess what he thought of her just yet, but he hardly seemed moved in any way by her appearance in the room. If anything, he looked like he'd much rather be anywhere else. But the little cat could only assume - mainly due to the fact Helena wasn't at all offended by his attitude - that this was his constant state.

"I've got this... pirate related problem," the little cat hesitantly began.

Ginny scoffed. "Yeah, you and the rest of the Isle." The black-haired girl's smirk was swept away after a sharp, fearsome glare from Helena, and so Cassie continued.

"It's just one pirate, actually." Cassie sucked in a deep breath, the fingers of her right hand twirling the edges of her hair. "And he's the one who's been killing all the cats."

As Cassie expected, Maddy was the one to bristle at the announcement, and she was quick enough to ask the question Cassie knew they were all thinking.

"Who is it?" the green-haired girl inquired, shuffling from foot to foot.

Cassie swallowed nervously. "Harry Hook."

There was a moment of silence, but it didn't last long. After a minute, a cackle of laughter came from Ginny, though Cassie could tell the woman was far from amused.

"Harry Hook?" the daughter of Mother Gothel repeated, her laughter dimming into a long, drawn out sigh. "Oh, little girl, you've been playing with fire, haven't you?"

The little cat's lips twisted into a frown, her dark eyes meeting Ginny's piercing grey orbs. Cassie had no idea where the girl's animosity was coming from, and though she was a little startled by it, there was no way in Hades she was letting Ginny think she could do whatever she wanted to her.

"Actually, I think Harry's got himself a little obsession with her," said Helena, immediately coming to Cassie's defence. "He's been chasing her around the Isle since they met. And now he's killing poor, defenceless animals to get her attention. Tell me, sweetie, did he ever do something like that for you?" The Queen raised her brows pointedly at Ginny, who grimaced and clenched her jaw in response.

Suddenly, Cassie realised where the beautiful, frizzy-haired girl's attitude was coming from. Thanks to Helena, the little cat knew exactly why Ginny was now being so abrupt with her. The daughter of Gothel had had something with the son of Hook, and by the sounds of things, it hadn't ended too well. With the way Ginny was acting, Cassie knew with certainty that the end of their relationship hadn't been on her terms, and the girl was still carrying a torch for him.

"Harry's an asshole," said one of the twins: The one who wasn't holding Gilzean. "We all know that, even you, Gin'." The dark-haired girl lowered her eyes to the floor, a trace of sadness flashing across her face. "But what do you want us to do about it?" the twin asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

Helena opened her mouth to answer, but Cassie swiftly spoke up first. After all, the Queen wasn't her mom, and she didn't have to hold Cassie's hand and lead her through this. This was Cassie's night, and she had to stand her ground with this group.

"Helena told me you guys could help me get him off my back for good. I don't want him dead, I just wanna teach him a lesson. A lesson he'll never forget." Cassie paused then, and glanced at each member of the group. "Harry's a big guy, so there's no way for me to take him on all by myself." She gave a small shrug, her lips forming a pout of feigned disappointment. "But if you guys don't think you're up for the job, I'll go find someone else." At the end of her speech, Cassie gnawed away at her bottom lip, and waited for their answer.

"Well," said Helena, looking directly at one of the twins. "What do you think?"

"What if this bounces back on you?" he asked, moving forward to stand in front of Helena. "We have to think about retaliation here, baby. I don't want the pirates coming here. I won't risk you and Gil."

"It won't," the little cat assured, fully understanding his concerns. "I've been living with Helena for over a month, and no one knows I'm here except you guys. Harry's killing these animals to call me out, which means he has no idea where I am. I'm not an idiot, alright? I would _never_ put Helena and Gil in danger." Cassie didn't want to show weakness around this bunch, but she had to make sure the Gaston twin knew how sincere she was being when it came to her new friend.

"What do we get out of this?" asked Ginny, having come out of her moment of self-pity during Cassie's chat with Gaston. "We're putting our asses on the line here, so what do we get?"

Wordlessly, Cassie crouched down and turned, reaching into the back of Helena's cupboard for one of the buckets. When she finally found what she was looking for, she withdrew the large bucket and stood, warily moving toward the black-haired girl.

"See, I thought you'd ask that," she admitted, stopping when she felt she was close enough. With her right hand, Cassie's removed the lid, and allowed the daughter of Gothel to peek inside.

"Holy Hades," the girl muttered, her eyes wide with appreciation and intrigue. Her sudden change of demeanour drew in the others, and even Anthony moved up from his seat, curious to see what was inside the bucket labelled 'Random Shit'.

"How did you get all of that?" asked Maddy, the glittering jewels inside the bucket reflecting in her bright green eyes.

Cassie gave a small, shy smile. "I have a few quirks," she replied, earning a chuckle of disbelief from the green-haired girl.

"No shit."

Ginny raised her hand, and went to reach down into the bucket, but Cassie rapidly brought the cap back down with a loud _smack,_ stunning the daughter of Gothel.

"Do we have a deal?" the little cat asked, her lips moving upward into a smirk.

Ginny sighed and looked at Maddy, who - in turn - looked back at Anthony. The group shared questioning glances between themselves, going through some kind of internal conversation with each other before they gave their final answer.

In the meantime, Cassie put the bucket back in its rightful place. She'd move it later on when they'd all left, since she had no way of knowing if they - mainly Ginny - would attempt to sneak back into the salon and take the rest of her 'special things'.

"You're good at this, I'll give you that," one of the twins noted, and Cassie shrugged once more.

"I know. So, what's your answer?"

The group drifted toward each other, moving themselves into different spaces as if by routine. The twins stood near the back, shoulder to shoulder, and in front of the two stood Anthony and Ginny. Lastly - and much to Cassie's surprise - Maddy stood front and centre. They'd been spread across the salon when Cassie first saw them, so there hadn't been much inkling as to who was in charge, and the way they interacted with each other gave nothing away. Now, though, they were displaying their pecking order.

Maddy smiled, her tongue poking out between her teeth. "Looks like you've got yourself a deal, pussycat."

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

First of all, I need to make it clear that Maddy, Ginny, Anthony, Gaston Jr., and Gaston the third are not my characters. They belong to the writer of the 'Descendants' novels (Which I haven't read by the way). I'm merely borrowing them for the purpose of this story.

Okay, so, things took a bit of a dark turn in this story, but don't worry too much, after this chapter there won't be anymore abuse involving the poor animals of the Isle. No Harry/Cassie in this chapter, but they will definitely be interacting in the next chapter, so I hope you guys stick around for that.

Review Acknowledgment Time:

Muddy Birdy: Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and that you like the friendship between Cassie and Helena. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Shipperandfanficer15: I'm so pleased you're enjoying the story so far, and that you liked the last chapter. I hope you like this one too. And thank you so much for your lovely review!

wonderlandsangel: Welcome to the story! I'm glad you're enjoying everything so far, and I hope you like this chapter. Thank you for the review!

Guest: Thank you for the lovely review! :)

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And much love to everyone who've followed and favourited as well!

(Any typos or misspells will be corrected once I've had a proper read-through, but if you spot any feel free to let me know. Thanks!)


	14. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Warnings;

. Swearing.  
. Violence.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

It took two days, and one long night, for Cassie, Helena, and the Anti-Heroes to create a detailed plan. There'd been many things to discuss, and figuring out a way to get Harry into the centre of the Isle had been the hardest one. Heading into pirate territory was obviously suicidal, and they'd ruled that out without a second thought. After all, the shoreline where Uma's ship - and shoppe - resided was Harry's safe space, so to speak. If they went into pirate territory, and attempted to take him down somewhere around that area, the chances of Uma's crew somehow overhearing and turning the tables on them was too high a risk. The son of Hook was clever, but he hadn't ever needed backup to find Cassie before, and he had no reason to do it now. He didn't know that Cassie had made some new 'friends', and the little cat knew with certainty that - when he did meet up with her - he'd definitely come on his own.

Eventually, they'd come up with a believable option that would surely get Harry into the centre of the Isle.

The beginning of the plan involved the Gaston twins, their 'baby' brother, and a little rumour spreading. The twins had reassured a hesitant Cassie that Gil wouldn't be hurt during any of this, and though the little cat was reluctant to trust the word of two V.K.'s she hardly knew, Helena had also given her opinion on the matter. The Cheshire Cat's daughter wasn't the only one who was fond of the blonde-haired pirate: He had the Queen of Hearts on his side, as well. So while Cassie was shamefully relying on Gil's loyalty to Harry and Uma for this plan to work, she was at least content to know that he wouldn't be hurt.

There was a small risk that Gil would forget what he'd overheard his brother's discussing, so the twins would make sure to mention the 'rumour' more than once, until they were absolutely positive the message was firmly implanted in Gil's brain. Obviously, the little cat had had her doubts about that one, but the twins had soon put her mind at rest. According to them, Gil was awful at keeping things to himself, and even worse when it came to his excitement. If he realised that the things they were telling him would be of interest to Harry or Uma, a wide-eyed, gleeful expression would cross his face, and he'd come up with the shittiest excuse to leave the house.

If all went well, and Gil did what he was supposed to do, everything after would run smoothly. It was painfully evident by now that Harry was incredibly eager to find her, and no matter how smart he was, desperation always ran the risk of error in any situation. If things went their way, then he wouldn't hold back. The pirate would unknowingly follow the path they'd made for him and finally receive the punishment Cassie was sure he deserved.

However, when Cassie had made the decision to accept their help, she hadn't quite anticipated how large of a part she'd have to play. She didn't mind throwing her name out into the crowd if it meant getting Harry to the destination they'd settled on, but willingly taking part in it was a whole other thing. During their meetings at Helena's salon, the Anti-Heroes had made sure to include her presence in most of their wicked plan, and since Cassie had been playing a part when around the V.K.'s, she hadn't been able to tell them otherwise. There was no way for her to tell them that - while she'd asked for their help with this - she had no desire to get involved with their vicious plan. Truthfully, she'd hoped to be able to stay as far from the ambush as possible, but by now that hope had been tarnished. Whether she liked it or not, she was going to have to stand witness to this horrible attack.

Not everything so far had been terrible, though. Fortunately for Cassie, during her nightly meetings with the Anti-Heroes and Helena, she'd been able to get to know the bunch a little better. The group were oddly comfortable discussing their home lives, personal preferences, and any enemies they made on the Isle. They didn't hold back, and for someone like Cassie, who was quite reserved and secretive when it came to certain things, the fact they were so quick to tell her anything was quite bewildering. But after she gave it some thought, she realised that they had nothing to fear by telling her about themselves, and why would they? If what Helena said was true, these five were the most feared group on the inner Isle right now, and though Cassie hadn't seen much wickedness from them yet, it didn't mean it wasn't there; It was just sleeping.

The presence of the Anti-Heroes also brightened the spirits of the Queen of Hearts. Not that she wasn't a good person to be around before, of course. But whenever the group were due to arrive, Cassie saw how cheerful her friend became, and how excited she was for their visit. Whether it was because the five brought on some kind of nostalgia for the Queen, or because having Gilzean's father with her filled her with joy, Cassie wasn't sure. Either way, they'd certainly brought about a lovely change in Helena, and Cassie couldn't help but wonder what'd happen when all this was over and done with, and the group went back to what they'd been doing before.

To Cassie's complete astonishment, she'd somehow wound up getting closer to Ginny than she did the rest. The daughter of Gothel had approached her on the second night, casually settling down onto the seat beside Cassie to ask how the little cat had met the son of Hook in the first place. After a lengthy discussion, including the first night she'd run into Harry, being locked in the cell on the ship, and everything that came after, Ginny had finally determined that there was no romantic interest between Cassie and Harry, and her animosity toward the little cat had lessened considerably. The two had bonded over their hatred for the hook-wielding pirate, and Ginny had introduced a saying to Cassie that the little cat hadn't ever heard before.

'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'. It fitted in well with their situation, and so a partnership... of sorts, had been declared between Cassie and Ginny. The Cheshire Cat's daughter would have nothing to fear from the daughter of Mother Gothel, because in angering Harry, Cassie had now given Ginny a chance for revenge. And if there was anything Cassie had learnt by now about Ginny, then it was the fact she held very, very large grudges.

Cassie hadn't gotten _too_ close with the rest of the Anti-Heroes. Aside from discussing their plans for Harry, they hadn't shown much interest in the little cat. At least, three of them hadn't. Anthony Tremaine very rarely spoke to her, instead he chose to linger in the background, throwing his own opinion into the mix whenever he saw fit. The Gaston twins, though, were quite playful, even going as far as to lightly stroke Cassie's head whenever they past by, a light-hearted tease toward her other form. The first time they'd done it, Cassie had been understandably taken aback, until she peered over her shoulder and saw the large, joking grin on their faces. She'd asked Helena about it after they'd left, and with a laugh of amusement, the Queen had reassured Cassie that they were thanking her in their own strange way. Apparently, Helena had made sure to let them know how much Cassie had helped her since her arrival in the salon, and how she took care of little Gil whenever she could. Family, it seemed, mattered a great deal to the sons of Gaston, and anyone who cared for theirs was welcomed.

Thankfully, Cassie didn't feel as threatened by the group as she had when they first arrived. However, one of them always had Cassie's nerves frazzled when they entered the room, and the little cat still wasn't sure what to make of them.

Mad Maddy: The leader of the Anti-Heroes. Knowing she was in charge of the fearsome five was a worry in itself, since she was clearly the smallest of the bunch. Kind of like Uma being the Captain of the pirates. If they hadn't earned their title by strength, then it meant they had something else. They were the brains of the group, the ones who planned, directed, and gave the orders. They were the leaders for a reason, and while it was nice to see that someone didn't have to be a huge, brute of a person to lead, it still unsettled the little cat.

For whatever reason, Maddy seemed to have a strange sort of fascination with Cassie. The little cat hadn't had any idea why, but she'd assumed it was because Maddy absolutely adored cats. In fact, the green-haired V.K. had even swung by the salon during the daytime, asking Helena if she could see Cassie. It'd been quite a strange encounter, since Cassie hadn't ever gone to someone in her feline form and had them know who she really was. But much to the little one's surprise, Maddy had treated her just like she would if Cassie were a normal cat. She'd brought along some fish for Cassie to eat, and a small carton of milk. And when the Cheshire Cat's daughter had gladly devoured both, Madame Mim's granddaughter had invited the furry black cat up onto her lap, gesturing her in with a few clicks of the tongue.

Truthfully, Cassie had enjoyed the day a little _too_ much. It was rare for her to receive any form of kindness from someone when she was in her furry state, and getting it from Maddy had been rather strange, to say the least. Aside from greeting her when she first came in, Maddy hadn't said more than a few words to Cassie. Instead, she'd chosen to sit in silence with the little one, giving her light scratches here and there when Cassie asked for it.

It wasn't until after the second meeting with the Anti-Heroes that Cassie found out Maddy had her own reasons for being so nice.

 _"Pussycat."_

 _Cassie looked up from the floor, her brows furrowing in concern when she saw the look on Helena's face._

 _"C'mere for a minute," the Queen requested, sharply nodding toward the dinner room behind her._

 _Warily, the little cat stood from her chair and wandered into the dinner room. When she came through the red curtain, she found Helena had already sat herself down, waiting patiently for Cassie to join her._

 _"Everything okay?" she asked, sitting down across from Helena. So far, the night had gone well, and she couldn't think of anything that might've put the Queen of Hearts on edge. But from Helena's exasperated expression, something must've happened._

 _"For now, everything's fine," replied Helena, and Cassie frowned. She wanted to ask what her friend meant by that, but instead she stayed silent, deciding to let Helena say what she had to say. "You haven't had any trouble with the guys, have you?"_

 _Cassie shook her head. "Nope."_

 _"Really?" the Queen pressed. "They haven't made any remarks? Made you uncomfortable? Anything like that?"_

 _"No. Helena, what's going on?" Cassie leaned forward and rested her arms on the table, frustration gnawing away at her mind. If Helena had something to say, then she should say it, and not beat around the bloody bush._

 _"Maddy likes you."_

 _At first, there was silence. Helena sat stiffly in her chair, a single brow raised as she waited for Cassie's response to the abrupt announcement. Meanwhile, the Cheshire Cat's daughter froze, her mouth moving wordlessly as she fought to find the right words._

 _"O-kay," she eventually muttered. "Why is that a problem?" Cassie had thought that Helena would be relieved to know she was getting along with her old crew, but from the looks of things that wasn't the case._

 _The Queen of Hearts huffed. "No, pussycat. She likes you." Helena put more emphasis on the word 'likes', subtly implying something Cassie couldn't comprehend._

 _A small, humourless giggle passed through Cassie's lips. "You're kidding?" A flash of annoyance flickered in Helena's gaze, and Cassie's laughter died down. "Shit," she mumbled._

 _"Uh-huh," the Queen confirmed, leaning back in her chair._

 _"I-I...um," the little cat stuttered, stumbling over her own words as she attempted to accept what Helena was telling her. "Is that a bad thing?"_

 _Helena stared at Cassie with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Yes," she said firmly, leaning forward once more. "Pussycat, you don't want to get involved with someone like Maddy."_

 _In response to this, Cassie rolled her eyes. She wasn't an idiot: She didn't plan on getting involved with any them. Just because Maddy had shown some kind of interest in her didn't mean she was about to abandon all sense and run away with the girl. Maybe if Madam Mim's granddaughter had found her a month or so ago, she would've considered the idea, but not now._

 _"Look, I get it." Helena gave a small shrug, a smile playing at her lips. "You've been hiding for sixteen years, you haven't had anyone take an interest before. Trust me, pussycat, I know exactly how it feels." Cassie shyly bowed her head, looking down at her fingers. "It's a good feeling, right?"_

 _"Yeah," the little cat whispered, somewhat reluctantly._

 _When it came to partners on the Isle, Cassie's experience was vastly limited. The only things she knew about those things in particular she'd learnt from seeing numerous couples on the Isle, and even then it hadn't taught her much. Her father hadn't exactly stuck around long enough to explain what it was she was feeling, or why her stomach wound in knots whenever she saw someone she found particularly attractive. If she hadn't come out of hiding, or decided to live with Helena, Cassie had a small feeling she would've spent the rest of her life alone. Every encounter she'd had with Harry would've turned her away from the idea of meeting anyone new, and though her loneliness would've taunted her relentlessly, she'd have been better of because of it. Despite what she thought about herself sometimes, Cassie knew she was strong - in her own way, at least. She could survive all by herself, and she didn't need a partner to be happy._

 _But that didn't mean the thought hadn't crossed her mind once or twice. After all, Helena and Gaston Jr. weren't as slick as they thought they were. Cassie knew full well he was sneaking back into the salon after hours, when Helena thought the little cat was sleeping, and the moaning and groaning echoing from inside the main salon area wasn't lost on Cassie. Even when the Anti-Heroes were there, the two weren't subtle. As soon as the other was within reach, they were glued together, from intertwined fingers to hard grips on the other's waist. Sometimes it was a little sickening, but it always stirred a faint longing within the little cat._

 _Cassie wasn't even sure if she liked Maddy the same way, but she wasn't about to rule it out altogether. Plus, the idea of someone wanting her was rather... nice, in a strange, terrifying kind of way._

 _"Pussycat, I'm not trying to hurt you," said Helena, gently smoothing a stray lock of hair behind Cassie's ear. "But I know you, and I know Maddy. She's nice now because she's pulling you in. You're a pretty little thing, pussycat, and you turn into an actual cat, it's no wonder she wants you. You're a crazy witch's wet dream. She'll keep you safe, and she'll give you everything you've ever wanted, but Maddy doesn't like being told 'no'. Wherever you go, she'll go. You can say goodbye to your night-time walks. And gods help you if she thinks someone else wants you too. People call her Mad Maddy for a reason, pussycat. She's a good friend, and I hate talking bad about her, but she's not a good girlfriend. I don't wanna see you in a cage, can't you understand that?"_

 _Even though it pained her to admit it, Cassie knew where Helena was coming from. If she let Maddy think for just a second that she felt the same way, the green-haired girl would have her shackled. Cassie would have the comfort of being with someone, and being safe, but she'd lose her freedom at the same time._

 _"Yeah," she finally agreed, lifting her head. "I understand."_

Since that slightly uncomfortable conversation, Cassie had done her best to steer clear of Maddy. She'd come back to the salon again the next day, but Helena had been ready for her, and she'd told the green-haired girl that Cassie was sleeping. Obviously, she hadn't been: If anything she'd been wide awake. Helena's words of warning rang loud and clear in Cassie's mind, but the little cat couldn't help herself sometimes, and since the Queen had sat her down and brought Maddy's intentions to light, Cassie hadn't been able to think of much else.

Now, though, that was the last thing on her mind.

In her feline form, Cassie perched at the edge of her bed, yellow eyes fixated on the door in front of her. With the use of her heightened ears, she heard Helena giving her goodbyes to the last customer. The day was coming to an end, and the sun would be going down soon. When it did, Cassie would turn back into her natural state, the Anti-Heroes would arrive, and they'd head to their destination.

Tonight was _the_ night. If all went well, and as they'd planned, Harry would finally stop. The horrific, furry little bodies would stop showing up around the Isle, and Cassie would finally be free.

The door creaked open, and Helena walked in, softly shutting the door behind her. For a moment or two, she stayed there, leaning back against the door with her arms crossed beneath her chest.

"Are you alright?" she asked, keeping her voice low so that she didn't wake Gilzean.

Cassie blinked, and her ears flickered. In her current state there wasn't much else she could do, so she settled on giving a small _meow_ instead.

"This is freaky as hell, y'know," the Queen chuckled, taking a step forward. "I know you're human. I've _seen_ you change into a human. But I still feel like an idiot talking to a cat." Helena reached out with her right hand, lightly stroking the top of Cassie's head. "If I pick you up, are you gonna bite me?"

Cassie moved her head away from Helena's hand, her purrs dying down into silence. She flexed her paws and leaned back, her lower half wiggling in preparation for the jump.

If Helena hadn't been anticipating the move, she probably wouldn't have managed to catch the leaping cat. Thankfully, though, she caught her just fine.

"I know you can't say anything right now, pussycat, but I don't think you have to. The sun's going down, and the guys are gonna be here soon, so I don't have much time." The Queen of Hearts held Cassie firmly to her chest, her right arm holding onto the little one's body, while she used her left to scratch behind Cassie's ear.

Once again, Cassie wished for the ability to speak when trapped in her kitty state: Or at least be able to convey something other than disinterest. Unfortunately for her, the most she could do was stay and stare, and hope her friend knew she was listening.

"I honestly don't know what's gonna happen tonight," the Heart girl admitted, averting her brown eyes to the space above Cassie's head. "You won't be on your own. Not completely, anyway. I've made Gaston promise me he'll keep you safe, and I trust him with that. But if something goes wrong I need you to promise me you'll get the fuck out of there, okay? Blink if you promise." Cassie blinked instantly, and Helena gave a long sigh. "Good girl, pussycat."

When Cassie's stomach started to turn, and her little paws began to tingle, she wiggled in Helena's hold. Her transformation was steadily approaching, and she'd rather not be in her friend's arms when it came.

Helena quickly moved back toward the bed and lowered Cassie, taking a few steps back to avoid being too close. For a moment, Cassie thought the Queen would leave, but when Helena simply took up her former position, the little cat realised that her friend was going to stay.

Cassie turned away from Helena and moved further up the bed, laying flat on her stomach as she waited. She stared up at the pillow in front of her, her claws firmly latching onto the blanket beneath her body. For some reason, cats seemed to have the ability to sense oncoming danger, and Cassie was no different. Her tail darted back and forth, her ears twitched backward, and a low growl formed in her throat. Her inner feline knew exactly what was coming, but since it couldn't be avoided, Cassie could do nothing but lay down and suffer, a sudden panic rushing through her little body.

Finally, it started. The numbing sensation began at her tail, gradually making its way through the rest of her form. Then came the weightlessness, like she was drifting through the air with nothing to hold her down. She could handle this part... to a certain extent, anyway. The pins-and-needles sensation, plus the floating, didn't take away the lingering fear she felt whenever her transformation took place, but it was still bearable.

Then came the hard part. An awful, breath-halting moment, where it felt as though someone had reached inside her stomach and started to twist. It often bewildered her that the ear-shattering screech she gave when turning never woke little Gilzean, but most of the time she could hardly focus on that thought. In a quick, bright flash of light, which temporarily blinded the little cat, she was back to her natural form.

Faintly, Cassie could hear _thuds_ against the floorboards, which she knew was the sound of Helena's boots. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked quickly, hoping it would clear her vision a little faster.

"Shush, it's alright, pussycat."

Cassie hadn't noticed the whimpers drifting through her dry, parted lips, but as soon as she did she tried her best to tame them down. With a faint cry of pain, which she held back by biting down on her lower lip, Cassie rolled over onto her back, inhaling and exhaling deep and soothing breaths.

"Take your time, pussycat," the Queen softly urged.

"I-I'm okay," she stuttered, quickly moistening her lips with her tongue. She knew Helena was trying to keep her calm, but she couldn't take her time tonight like she usually did. The Anti-Heroes would arrive soon, and Cassie had to get this over and done with.

The Queen of Hearts sat down beside the little cat, holding a raggedy old towel in her hands. "I've never seen it like that before," she whispered, dabbing away the sweat from Cassie's forehead. "It looks like it hurts."

"It does," the little one replied, flexing her fingers against the bed. The ache was still there, but as the seconds went by it lessened, and soon enough she'd be able to get dressed.

"You sure you're up for this?"

Cassie frowned. "Of course. We didn't go through all this planning for nothing."

"And you remember your promise, right?"

"Helena." Cassie turned onto her right side, wrapping her fingers around her friend's wrist. "I promise I'll come back," she said, meeting the older girl's gaze.

The Queen of Hearts paused, her eyes roaming over Cassie's face for any trace of a lie. When she couldn't find one, she gave a perturbed sigh, and shook her head.

"You fucking better. Or I'm coming after you myself."

~...~...~

Uma leaned against the edge of the ship, her right arm draped over the banister. She stared ahead at nothing in particular, hardly blinking as she focused more on the argument going on inside of her head.

The Captain briefly wondered if she was going insane. It wouldn't surprise anyone, really: She had been going through a bit of stress lately.

Taking care of a large crew was somewhat foreign to her, since it'd only ever been a handful of them, and considering how heavy of a weight it was becoming, she knew she was doing rather well. The payments she received from store owners across the Isle was being put to good use. Most of the coins were stored away for ship repairs and items she needed for her mother's shoppe, but the rest was being split evenly between her crewmates, since most still had families to care of. At the same time, the teal-haired V.K. was doing her best to keep the first mate from losing what was left of his sanity. Thankfully, he was cleaning up whatever mess he made down in the cells, and keeping the bloody remains away from her shoppe and its customers. He still ran the same errands, joining Gil in collecting payments, and other things that needed doing around the shoreline. But Uma knew full well that he wouldn't be truly content until he found Cassie again.

Apparently, tonight was that night.

Gil had come sprinting into the shoppe that morning, wheezing as he doubled over the main countertop, struggling to catch his breath. At first, Uma had been a little concerned, since it was rare for the blonde-haired pirate to run unless he had big news for them, or he was being chased. This time, it'd been the former, though Uma couldn't help but wish he'd kept it to himself for once.

"Cap'."

Uma blinked, bringing herself back down to earth when she heard Harry's voice. She wanted to spin around and demand that he stay on the ship, or at least come back to the shoppe with her. But if she did, he'd never forgive her for it, and she'd never forgive herself. After all, she had given him two days to get over his strange and gruesome obsession, and today was the second day. As his Captain, she'd given him her word. And as his friend, she had to let him do this.

"C'mon, Uma," he sighed. "Talk ta me."

"It doesn't feel right," she told him, twirling a braid between her fingers. Stubbornly, she stayed where she was, her refusal to face him showing him exactly how she felt about his leaving.

There was a small silence, in which only the waves and creaking of the ship could be heard, but then Uma heard his footsteps. They stopped behind her, and she felt the warmth against her back as he leaned into her.

"I'll be fine." He gently rested his chin on her shoulder, his lips right next to her ear. "I swear ta ya, I'll come back."

She wanted to believe him; Really, she did. Every time he left the shoppe to do something she didn't know about, she worried. And every single time he came back, just as promised. It might've taken him a little longer on some days, but he _always_ came home.

Tonight, though, it felt different. This wasn't the usual feeling she got when he left, where a quiet voice in the back of her mind toyed with her anxieties, tricking her into an unneeded panic. She knew that feeling, and she'd learnt to ignore it a long time ago. No, this time was different. The voice didn't just whisper: It screamed. Her fingers tingled and twitched, and her stomach turned with an overbearing sense of distress. For whatever reason, something inside of her could tell there was an oncoming danger, and it was heading straight toward her best friend.

"Harry," she muttered, finally turning to face him. "Please, don't go out tonight." Usually, she wasn't so obvious with her protectiveness over him. He didn't need it, and she hardly had to put it on display, but they both knew it was there. Tonight, though, she couldn't seem to help it.

The first mate frowned, his blue eyes staring deep into Uma's dark orbs. "Are ya orderin' it?" he asked.

"No," she replied, swallowing down the lump in the back of her throat. "I'm asking you, as your friend, not to do this." The voice in her head was back again, sounding strangely similar to her mother, taunting her over her sentimentality. She ignored it this time, determined that her friend's safety was worth more than her reputation as a fearsome leader.

"As my best mate, ya should know why I'm doin' this," he pointedly replied, and she huffed, her lips pursed as she averted her gaze. "C'mon, Uma. I'll come back, I swear."

Harry wouldn't leave without her say so, but this back-and-forth between them would last all night if they wanted it to. He was just as stubborn as she was when he put his mind to something, and neither of them enjoyed losing: Even if it was to each other.

"Fine," she snapped, shoving him away with as much force as she could muster. "Go. Find the little kitty-cat. Try not to get killed while you're out there." Swiftly, she turned back to face the ocean, her braids flying through the air as she did so.

If he didn't want to listen to her, fine. She'd said what she had to say, and it hadn't deterred him one bit. He was still going to go and find Cassie, and if Uma's body warnings were right, he was going to get hurt in the attempt. Did she give a shit? Of course. Even the strongest of friendships came with the occasional argument, and theirs was no different. All she could do was hope with every fibre of her being that - like every other time before - he returned without injury, and they could go back to the way they were before.

Uma flinched when a sudden weight came down against the back of her neck, something heavy falling against her stomach.

"Keep it safe for me, eh?"

Only when his footsteps faded away did Uma take a quick look down, lifting the object in her fingers to see what he'd given her. She was furious with him, and that would surely last the rest of the night, but she couldn't help the small smile that came to her face when she saw what it was.

"If you don't come back, I'm coming after you myself."

~...~...~

There was something odd about walking around the Isle knowing you couldn't get hurt. Usually, the Cheshire Cat's daughter stuck close to the walls, quickly moving through the streets and alleyways to avoid alerting anyone else who might've decided to take a nightly stroll. She was always careful, treading lightly when turning any corners, and climbing up onto the rooftops if the area got a little too risky. Most of the time she'd never had a specific destination, especially back when she'd been 'collecting' special things.

Tonight, though, was a whole new experience for her. The Anti-Heroes were a feared group on the Isle, and the way they moved about the place radiated confidence. They weren't the type of people to stick close to the walls, or double-check behind every corner to make sure no one was waiting for them. They walked with purpose, almost daring any other Isle-dwellers to try something. If the road was wide enough, they formed a line: Like a barrier, of sorts. But if there was a narrow alleyway, the positions shifted. The twins, since they were clearly the strongest of the bunch, travelled through first, ready to take down anyone who stood in their way. After them, Ginny came through, with Anthony close behind. Only when the four had safely made it through did Maddy follow, skipping through the alleyway without a care in the world.

Cassie had only ever seen the Fearsome Five in Helena's salon, so she hadn't seen their intimidation in all its glory just yet. Even now she was only being shown a glimpse. But in the darkness of the Isle, with a few lanterns casting their shadows across the gravel, Cassie was beginning to realise how frightening the five could seem to a simple ruffian unfortunate enough to be lurking around at night. They weren't quiet about it, either. The twins practically stomped through the streets in their thick boots, and Maddy often gave a low cackle at random moments, one that made the little cat wonder what was going on in that strange, twisted head of hers.

Eventually, the six made it to Bargain Castle.

"So," said Maddy, turning to look at Cassie. "That's where you used to live, huh?"

Cassie gave a slow nod. "That's where I used to live."

"Were you dragon-lady's pet or something?" asked Ginny, blowing a bubble with the pink gum she'd whipped out of nowhere.

"Hades, no," the little cat firmly objected, a grimace twisting her features. "I lived in the attic. No one knew I was there." Cassie cocked her head, and added as an afterthought, "No one except Harry, anyway."

At the mention of the hook-wielding pirate, Ginny rolled her eyes, chewing obnoxiously loud on her gum. Out of all of them there tonight, Cassie had a large suspicion she'd enjoy this the most.

"So, how are we doing this?" asked one of the twins. Which one it was, Cassie wasn't sure: She couldn't tell them apart just yet.

"Harry won't go anywhere near the attic, I know that much. He'll get to the top of the stairs, though, so I'll be in Mal's room. Like I told you, there's a door up there to get in. There's another door on the inside that'll take you into the hallway," the little cat explained.

"I'll go block the inside exit with Ginny and Anthony. Twins, you stay near the main entrance, keep an eye out. Pussycat, you go straight up to Mal's room and wait for him. Don't worry too much, the when the boys see Harry coming, they'll come get us. We'll give it a minute or two, wait for him to get settled in, and then we'll head up ourselves. We'll hide outside, let you have a little 'chat' with Hooky-boy, and if you need us, just say the magic words." Maddy's instructions were short and simple, and her gang agreed without giving it a second thought.

"What're the magic words?" inquired Cassie, slowly following behind the group.

Maddy looked back over her shoulder. "Something wicked this way comes," she laughed, twirling around joyfully.

Cassie smiled in amusement. "It's not gonna turn me into a frog, is it?"

"Oh, pussycat." The green-haired girl tutted, her lips forming a pout as she abruptly stopped in front of Cassie, rapidly turning so that they were face to face. "You're way too cute to be a frog," she said quietly, delivering a light chuck underneath Cassie's chin.

In response, the little cat stood still, too entranced by Maddy's bright green eyes to even think about moving. In the back of her mind, she could hear Helena's voice, warning her of the dangers that came with getting too close to Maddy. She knew she had to take a step back, and make sure Madam Mim's granddaughter knew she wasn't interested in whatever she had to offer.

But she didn't.

Thankfully, Ginny was the one to interrupt the 'moment'. The daughter of Mother Gothel placed a firm hand on Maddy's shoulder, tugging her back toward the Castle.

"You can play later," she whispered with a dark giggle, a wicked gleam shining in her grey eyes.

After a quick, knowing wink aimed in Cassie's direction, Maddy took off, a skip in her step as she followed Ginny into the Castle. Meanwhile, Cassie stayed where she was, trying her best to tame down the flickering heat in the pit of her stomach. She'd focus on Maddy later. Right now, she had to focus on getting into Mal's room, and dealing with Harry.

Once again, Cassie dragged herself up the metal staircase, her footsteps seeming significantly heavier than they ever had before. Somewhere deep inside she knew it was the weight of the situation weighing her down, the reality of what was going to happen tonight angering her hidden morality. She wasn't like the Anti-Heroes, or Helena, or even Harry. They were wicked because they liked it, because - for whatever reason - hurting someone else brought them immense joy and satisfaction. She had a rather dark fondness for revenge, of course: Every moment between herself and Harry consisted of such. But no matter how hard she tried, Cassie would _never_ enjoy hurting another person.

 _'Hello kitty, kitty.'_

Just as it had the last time, Harry's taunting voice echoed through her mind the second she reached the set of doors. With a quick shove, which Cassie only realised was done a little too hard when the doors slammed against the walls, she entered the room, leaving the doors open behind her.

As Cassie's dark eyes roamed about the room, her unhelpful mind was all too happy to give her a repeat of what'd happened before. It'd been a month since, but Cassie could recall the events as if they'd happened the night before. She remembered the noises she made when he dragged her inside, the bellow of agony he gave when she scratched him, the _thud_ her body made when he dropped her to the floor. It was like she was watching the entire thing through the eyes of a stranger, simply a witness to the horrific attack going on inside the room.

Instinctively, Cassie's right hand smoothed over her stomach, the ghostly sensation of being viciously booted in the ribs hitting her at full force. Her body had healed, and the bruises had faded, but it seemed the memory she had of that night would take a little longer to disappear. Maybe it was because that'd been her first attack, and the fact it'd been done with such brutality only added onto everything else. Harry knew how big and strong he was compared to her, he hadn't needed to use that much force to get her pinned, but he'd done it anyway.

There was a faint scuffling sound near the door leading out into the hallway, which Cassie determined was the Anti-Heroes blocking the exit. During her horrid flashback, she'd almost forgotten she wasn't alone tonight, and the quick reminder that they were there settled her nerves considerably. _She_ wasn't the one who had a reason to be scared tonight, and if things went well, she'd never have to worry about Harry again.

Since she wasn't absolutely certain Harry would make an appearance, Cassie moved toward Mal's bed, sitting up against the headboard as she waited. On the walk to the Castle her nerves had been frazzled, but now there was just a looming suspense.

If she hadn't spent so long stuck in the back room at Helena's salon, the little cat would've gone mad within minutes. Time ticked by slowly, and she wasn't sure how long it'd been since she arrived. It could've been a few minutes, or it could've been an hour: She had no way of knowing. Eventually, though, she heard footsteps making their way up the stairs, and she was quick to abandon the purple, tasselled pillow she'd spent her time toying with.

"Here, kitty, kitty."

This time, his voice wasn't inside her head. It was just outside the doors leading onto the balcony, followed by a few taunting clicks of the tongue. He stayed outside, most likely waiting for her to appear from inside the den, and Cassie realised she'd have to call him in.

"In here!"

Considering just how nervous she was about seeing him again, Cassie was rather pleased she managed to use her voice. She'd gone through a few changes since she'd last seen Harry, but her body's natural reaction to a threatening situation was still running the same way it did before, and the urge to stay silent and hide until he left had started to seem like a good idea. It was truly a miracle she managed to push past it in the first place.

First, there was silence, as if he was contemplating the idea of entering the traitor's old room. Then Cassie heard him moving, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet as he came further into the bedroom. He came in slowly, and she assumed he was doing it for the sake of scaring her, attempting to stir her fears before he made his move. A month ago it would've worked, but not now.

"Well, well, well. I have ta say, kitty, ya caught me by surprise."

Since her eyes had long-since adjusted to the darkness engulfing the room, Cassie was able to see him clear as day. During their time apart, it seemed her mind had greatly overexaggerated the hook-wielding pirate, leaving her no choice but to accept how terrifying and large he was. Now that she had him in front of her, though, she realised that her erratic noggin had been wrong. Harry was still as tall as the last time she'd seen him, and the muscles he displayed so proudly hadn't shrunk during their time apart, but Cassie was relieved to find he wasn't as frightening as her mind made him out to be. It could've been because she was a different person now, or it could've been due to the group she knew was hovering around somewhere outside, but Cassie knew it was a mix of both.

"Harry," she greeted with a long, slightly apprehensive sigh.

The pirate tilted his head. "Ya look differen', love," he observed, placing his hook beneath his chin. "New clothes?"

"I guess you could say that," she retorted, shuffling around until she sat at the edge of the bed. "I can't say the same about you, though." Cassie wrinkled her nose, her dark eyes scanning his attire. A faint niggle of warning appeared in her mind when she spotted his hook, but she was quick to push down her fear.

There was a flash of confusion on his face, but as quick as she saw it, it was gone, hidden behind Harry's arrogant grin. "I'll be honest, love, I was startin' ta get worried."

"Aw, Harry," she cooed, rising to her feet. "You were worried about me?"

There was a small part of her that knew playing this game with him wasn't what she'd come here to do, but with the confidence in knowing what was going to happen to him tonight, she simply couldn't help but have her fun. After all, her weeks with Helena had hardly been eventful, and though she'd never admit it, she couldn't quite deny that she missed the rush of it all.

"Aye," he muttered, moving his hook toward her face. "See, I foun' this guy a little while ago, tryin' ta flog a lovely little bracelet. At firs', I didn' think nothing of it, but then I looked a little closer." He slowly dragged through the hook through Cassie's strands, the point drifting uncomfortably close to her skin. "I'd seen this bracelet before, in a pile o' jewels hidden away in someone's attic."

Nervously, Cassie's eyes flickered toward the doors a few feet away. She remembered the 'magic words' Maddy had told her to say, but it wasn't time yet. There was still a lot more she and Harry had to discuss.

"So I take this lad back ta tha ship, shake 'im down an' all that, an' he tells me somethin' quite interestin'. Would ya like ta know what he said, love?" Harry raised a questioning brow, but Cassie knew he wasn't waiting for an answer, so she didn't give him one. "He tells me he an' 'is mates found this girl, walkin' aroun' tha Isle with all these pretty things on. A lovely, little thing, matchin' yar description, actually. Anyway, these lads know a goldmine when they see one, so they jump this lass, right? An' ya can imagine 'ow surprised _I_ was, when I foun' out this girl didn' fight back."

The negative impact this disturbing conversation was having on the little cat was instantaneous. An uncomfortable lump of sadness brewed in her throat, bringing with it a terrible ache she hadn't had to endure since leaving her den. There wasn't much she remembered from that night, but the vague memories she did have weren't exactly ones she wanted to relive. It'd been the lowest she'd ever gotten, and what made it so much worse was the fact Harry had sent her in that direction. If he hadn't put her down so much, and used the truth against her, she never would've made such a stupid, reckless, and agonizing decision. _That_ night had been her lowest point, and now he was using it to hurt her.

"Why didn' ya fight back, Cassie?"

The little cat's eyes snapped up at the question, her bottom lip held between her teeth as she subtly took in the rest of his features. The manic grin was gone, replaced with what Cassie knew was false concern. Harry wanted to know why she'd tried to end herself that night, but only because he'd had a hand in the decision. He already knew what she'd tried to do, but the twisted, evil parts of him needed some kind of confession from her. He hadn't killed her that night because he wanted her to suffer, and if she told him exactly how big a part he played in her choice that night, she was confirming it.

"Why did you kill all those cats?" she asked, instead of answering: She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

"Why not?" he carelessly replied, the corners of his lips twitching upward. "I needed ta get ya out somehow, didn' I?"

Cassie's eyes narrowed. "They didn't deserve that," she snapped, a stifling heat bubbling up beneath her skin when he chuckled at her words.

"Eh, now, it's not all my fault," he objected, shaking his head. " _You_ could'a come out o' hidin' sooner, but ya didn'. Instead, ya hid away, like tha little coward ya are. Don' worry too much, though, I killed 'em off quick. They didn' suffer." He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes drifting down to Cassie's throat. "Not the same way ya're goin' ta, anyway."

Realistically, she should've been scared: Terrified, even. Cassie had only heard through others what state the poor cats had been in when they'd been found, and she knew it didn't even come close to what this pirate was capable of. She could barely imagine the pain Harry could cause her with that dreaded hook of his. However, the overwhelming fury she felt at the fact he had no remorse for what he'd done overrode her fear substantially, and it helped erase the guilt she'd felt before when planning this night in the first place.

"Something wicked this way comes." Cassie said the 'magic words' loud and clear, somewhat pleased by the puzzlement on Harry's face when she did so.

"Hi there, sweetheart."

The moment Harry turned his head toward the open doors, eyes wide in visible shock, Cassie darted around him, joining Ginny at the only exit.

"Aw, c'mon now, don't look so surprised," the frizzy-haired girl said with a giggle.

Harry's surprise melted into uncertainty, but it wasn't long before he hid it away. "I see ya've made a new friend, kitty," he noted, eyes darting from Cassie to Ginny.

"More than one, actually," said a familiar, feminine voice from behind the Cheshire Cat's daughter.

For the first time since they'd met, Cassie _finally_ saw Harry in a state he'd only ever forced her into: Absolute fear. He was rather good at concealing it, and while it impressed her just a little, she could still spot the panic fighting through his calm, unbothered demeanour. He wasn't so smug anymore.

"I knew I'd pushed ya inta some hard spots, kitty, but I didn' realise I'd pushed ya so bloody far," he chuckled, an unwilling sliver of anxiety passing through in his tone.

"You've got friends, sweetheart," said Ginny, lifting her shoulders into a shrug. "I don't see the problem in Cassie making some too."

The Anti-Heroes carefully pushed past the little cat, drifting slowly toward a skittish Harry. The hook-wielding pirate didn't seem to know who was the biggest threat, since his gaze lingered on each of them, his mind attempting to locate the worst threat.

"Ya're gonna kill me now, is that it?" he demanded, looking directly at Cassie.

"Of course not," she replied, as though the idea in itself was completely absurd. "They're just gonna hurt you." Cassie gestured toward the Fearsome Five, who'd already managed to surround the pirate. "You just have to swear, on your pirate code, that you won't hurt anymore cats, and you'll stop coming after me."

Harry turned in a full circle, his right hand gripping his sword, while the left swiped his hook through the air in a pathetic attempt at keeping them away. There was no way for him to win this battle, and he knew it, but it didn't look like he was about to go down without a fight either.

"I'm gonna kill ya, Cassie," he swore, glaring at the little cat through the gap between Anthony and Maddy.

Cassie merely shrugged, and sat down on the bed once again. "You should've killed me when you had the chance," she told him. "Just take the deal."

The pirate swiftly drew his sword, aiming it at the V.K. in front of him. "Not a fucking chance."

Time moved fast after that. Cassie didn't know what was going on, since she'd firmly clamped her eyes shut when Harry refused her deal, but the noises she heard were unmistakable. There was a lot of banging, thudding, and grunting, and Cassie was pretty sure most of the furniture had been smashed in the scuffle. It wasn't nice, but it wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be. The sound of fists meeting limbs, and the _swoosh_ of Harry's sword as he erratically waved it through the air, was nauseating, to say the least, but if she couldn't see it, then she could pretend it wasn't happening. If Cassie ignored what was going on right in front of her, she could pretend that - at least for a moment - she was back in Helena's salon, wrapped up in the comforting warmth of her bed.

"C'mere, pussycat."

Cassie reluctantly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust her vision. Just a few feet away, the Anti-Heroes had Harry firmly pinned to the floor, his hook, sword, and hat haphazardly thrown to the side. The twins each held down one of Harry's wrists, while Anthony and Ginny straddled his legs, affectively trapping the pirate in their hold.

Cautiously, Cassie stood up from the bed and approached the green-haired leader, tentatively accepting the hand she was offered.

"You want him to stop, right?" the non-magic witch asked, waving a hand toward the bound pirate.

"Yeah," the little cat confirmed, somewhat timidly. She wasn't sure what Maddy's intentions were, and she couldn't ignore the sudden, unpleasant change in the atmosphere.

"Good." Maddy lifted her left hand, bringing the sharp, gleaming object into Cassie's line of sight. "Then make him stop."

Cassie's lips moved wordlessly, her tongue rooting itself to the bottom of her mouth. She kneeled down beside Maddy, and reached for the weapon with a shaky hand.

"We're not gonna kill him," reassured Maddy, the mirthful giggle she gave afterward entirely out of place given the situation. "But he hasn't agreed to stop yet, so..." she left the word hanging in the air, her green eyes roaming over Harry's upper torso.

"W-what do I do?"

The self-assurance Cassie had felt only moments ago had long since faded, and now only doubt lingered. If she'd known before meeting the Anti-Heroes that _this_ was what she had to do, she wouldn't have been so quick to accept Helena's proposal. After all, there was a significant difference between seeing violence, and having to act it out herself. At the moment, she was in quite the state of shock, and couldn't feel anything past uncertainty and insecurity. Right now, Cassie needed someone to guide her through this life-altering moment, and since Helena wasn't around to do it, the position now fell onto Mad Maddy.

"It's easy," the green-haired girl whispered. "I'll even show you."

Despite not having done this kind of thing before, Cassie wasn't completely naïve to it: She knew what to do. However, her mind had somehow gone blank when it realised what she was going to have to do, and her movements weren't entirely her own at the moment. So, when Maddy wrapped her fingers around Cassie's, and brought the knife down against Harry's stomach, the Cheshire Cat's daughter could only allow it to happen.

"You don't want to dig too deep," the mad witch instructed, drifting the knife across Harry's skin. "Just a little. Enough for it to sting and bleed." Maddy pushed down with the tip of the knife, creating a long cut across his ribs. "See? Easy enough."

Easier said than done, at least.

A deep, humorous chuckle broke through the quiet, and it took Cassie a moment or two to realise it was coming from Harry.

"Ya're so pathetic, ya know that?" he remarked, fixating on the little cat. "Ya go through all this trouble ta get me 'ere, an' ya can' even go through with it."

"Do it, pussycat," hissed Maddy, green eyes wildly bouncing from Harry to Cassie.

The Cheshire Cat's daughter remained silent, torn between knowing what she _had_ to do, and what she wanted to do. She wanted this night to be over. She wanted to drop the knife, leave the Anti-Heroes and Harry to their own devices, and run back to Helena's salon. Surely the Queen of Hearts would understand Cassie's predicament, and wouldn't throw her out onto the streets because she'd royally fucked up.

But the Fearsome Five would. Gaston Jr. had promised Helena he'd keep Cassie safe, but could she really place her safety and wellbeing into the hands of a V.K. she didn't know? Maddy had made no such promise, and since she was the one in charge of the group, Cassie knew they'd do whatever it was she asked of them. The twin son of Gaston adored Helena, but would he turn away an order to keep her happy?

"I wonder what yar daddy would say, if he could see ya now."

Cassie's stomach jolted, her dark eyes momentarily widening as she met Harry's gaze. She'd heard those words before. Hell, she'd _said_ those words before. Back when Harry had been stuck in another tricky spot, and her morality had won over any common sense involving survival. She'd used those words to cruelly push him into moving his ass, because it'd been the only way to get him out of the hole he'd stumbled into.

With an overwhelming sense of devastation, the little cat realised what he was doing.

"Take the deal, Harry," she said, doing her best to withhold her desperation. She didn't want to do this to him, but without fully knowing what'd happen to her if she refused, she'd have to.

The pirate slowly ran his tongue across his lips, keeping steady eye contact with the little cat. "No."

She had no choice. Cassie tilted her head forward, hiding her face from the others with her hair, and dragged the knife across Harry's stomach.

~...~...~

The journey back to Helena's salon was a slow and tormenting affair. At least, it was for Cassie. The Anti-Heroes were unbearably joyful, playfully shoving and smacking each other in jest. It was evident that what'd happened tonight wasn't foreign to them: If anything they seemed enjoyed it.

Everything was still the same. The night air was cold and breezy, the buildings were still rundown and boarded up, and the paths they took to get back to the salon hadn't been altered in any way. But for some reason, the Isle of the Lost felt darker tonight than it ever had before. It was like Cassie had spent sixteen years wandering around wearing strange, magically-made glasses that kept from seeing what was truly going on, and now that she'd done something awful, they'd been ripped away from her face, exposing her to the true horrors of the Isle.

Cassie's movements through the streets and alleyways were sluggish. She felt as though someone had chained a heavy weight around her waist, and she was now forced to drag it with her wherever she went. She could only thank the gods that the Anti-Heroes were strolling ahead of her, barred from seeing the little cat in such a state. With how fast the world seemed to be spinning around her, it was a miracle she hadn't thrown up yet.

"Cassie."

The little cat could hear someone calling her: Someone familiar. But it was like they were shouting her name through a thick fog, and Cassie was struggling to see past the clouds and find whoever was calling her.

It wasn't until a warm, soft hand caressed her cheek that she woke up, rudely yanked from the nightmare-like haze she'd been trapped inside.

"Pussycat, wake up."

Cassie jumped, the fingers of her right hand grasping the wrist of the person in front of her. For a moment, an abrupt wave of dread came down against her chest, and she thought she was being attacked.

"Woah, woah, woah," the feminine voice soothed, firmly holding Cassie's flailing hands to her sides. "It's me, pussycat."

Cassie paused, her dark eyes widening in utter mortification. "H-Helena?" she whispered, only now realising how dry and scratchy her throat felt.

"Yes," the Queen replied, sighing in relief. "Are you alright?"

"I-I don't know," the little cat answered, quickly glancing over her friend's shoulder.

"They're inside the salon," the Heart girl reassured, knowing exactly who Cassie was looking for. "Don't worry about them. Worry about you. What the fuck happened tonight?"

Cassie began to shake her head, the words balancing on the tip of her tongue. But as her head moved, she caught the sight of her hands from the corner of her eyes, and her voice turned to ash.

The Queen of Hearts followed Cassie's line of sight, her brows furrowing in concern when she saw the dark stains painting the little one's skin.

"W-what did I do?" the little cat stuttered, unable to rip her eyes away from her hands. "Helena, what did I do?"

Cassie was frantic, dizzying recollections of what she'd done, paired with the worrying amount of blood drying on her skin, sending the little one into a sudden hysteria. She knew exactly what she'd done, and how the blood had gotten on her hands, but the two sides of her mind were warring with each other. One half replayed the memories, convincing her she'd actually done such a horrible thing, while the other half fought back, refusing to believe it.

"Shit. Cassie, you're panicking, okay? I need you to calm down." Helena was quick to release Cassie's left hand, and brought the little cat's other one to her chest, holding it there with both hands. "Feel my heartbeat, okay? Take deep breaths, pussycat."

Cassie followed Helena's instruction to the best of her ability. As told, she focused on the calm, thudding beats beneath the palm of her hand, doing everything she could to match the rhythm. At the same time, she mirrored the Queen of Hearts, inhaling and exhaling deep, soothing breaths.

"Good girl," the Queen quietly commended, an encouraging smile stretching her lips. "Now, we're gonna go inside, okay? I want you to go up the stairs... you remember where they are?" Cassie nodded. "Good. Go up the stairs, and through the door on the right. That's mine and Gilzean's room, alright? I want you to go in, lay down, and wait for me to come and get you. Got it?"

"I-I don't feel good," the little cat admitted, a disgusted grimace crossing her face as she put a bloody hand to her stomach.

"I know, I know." Helena took a step forward and wrapped her right arm around Cassie's shoulders, rubbing her hand up and down Cassie's arm. "Now, remember, deep breaths. Don't worry about the guys, just ignore them. If they ask, you're going for a bath, they don't need to know anything else. Just don't let them see you like this, Cassie."

Cassie wasn't sure if Helena was calming her down because she was worried about her, or because she didn't want to look like a fool in front of her old crew. Either way, the little cat decided to listen. She'd hidden her true self from the Anti-Heroes enough tonight, and keeping up the pretence for a few more minutes couldn't hurt.

"Okay," she muttered, moving away from her friend's warmth.

Helena raised a questioning brow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry, pussycat," the Queen said, moving toward the entrance. "You're safe now."

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

Right, okay, so... I know there was a lot going on in this chapter, and I know how dark it was, but it needed to happen. No more animal abuse, thankfully, but Harry finally got what was coming to him.

Review Acknowledgement Time;

Shipperandfanficer15: I know. Trust me, I absolutely love cats (and all animals, really) which was why I stayed away from the grizzly details with that bit. Don't worry, though, it won't be happening again. I'm really, really happy you're enjoying the story so far, and thank you so much for always posting a review when I update, it means a lot :) And I really hope you like this chapter.

Guest: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying everything so far. And nope, no more animal abuse. :)

Guest: Yep! I'm back! And thank you for your review. :) I have to be honest, it's strange writing out Cassie's 'evil side'. She's not an evil character, or even a horrible character, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, so to speak. Obviously she has normal human emotions, and reacts realistically to certain situations, getting angry, vengeful, and whatnot. She's not good, and she knows that, but she isn't as crazy as everyone else on the Isle, and having her act like the other V.K.'s do is a huge strain on her character. (As you kind of see in this chapter). Also, I'm happy you're liking Gilzean and Helena! The Isle isn't exactly stocked, so I thought teenage pregnancy was almost a certainty. Plus, I didn't want the Isle to seem all-bad. Little Gilzean is just a bubbly, happy baby stuck in a horrible place, and Helena's doing her best to keep him away from it all. :)

Guest: Honestly, the thought did cross my mind. But this is a Harry/OC story, and as much fun as it is toying with relationship ideas for Cassie, he's the main focus right now. But I do agree, he's the psycho, grown up version of annoying little kids that push others over in the playground because they like them. It's not right, but it happens.

Anyway, please leave me a review or PM to let me know what you think about this chapter. And lots of love to you who've followed and favourited as well!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through. If you spot any, feel free to let me know. Thanks!)


	15. Who Will It Be?

Warnings;

. Swearing.  
. Slight violence.  
. Gore... I think? I'm honestly not sure, but I think that's what it is.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

For a moment or two, Harry genuinely believed he was dead. It wouldn't have been too surprising, considering how much the Finicky Five had enjoyed cutting into him. He could only thank his malicious father, in some way, for his ability to withstand high levels of pain. Once again he'd held out against the agony and hadn't given the idiots the satisfaction he was sure they'd wanted.

At first there was nothing. He couldn't hear, he couldn't see, and he couldn't feel: It was irritating, really.

Then, after a few for minutes of internal chastising - due to the fact Cassie, of all people, had been the cause of his death - he realised that he wasn't dead. If he was dead he'd be awake by now and wandering the depths of hell. He wouldn't be stuck inside his head, arguing with himself, while attempting to rid himself of the unbearable itch spreading through his stomach and chest.

The inner ramblings paused. He was itchy... annoyingly so, in fact. He could feel. If he could feel, then he wasn't dead.

Not yet, anyway.

After finally convincing himself he wasn't somewhere on the other side, Harry focused more on what was going on outside of his mind. His eyelids felt glued together, so for the time being he listened closely, hoping for a sound of some kind to give him an idea of where he was.

There was a faint _creak,_ soon followed by a soothing flow of water; The ocean.

Harry gave an audible sigh of relief, releasing the breath he'd held in. If he could hear the ocean then it meant he was somewhere along the shoreline. He was in pirate territory now.

Suddenly, there was another _creak,_ but much louder this time: A door.

The pirate stayed silent, attempting to feign unconsciousness to whoever had opened the door. He might be somewhere in pirate territory, but not everyone liked him as much as his crewmates so he had to be careful.

Much to Harry's disappointment, he didn't hear any footsteps, or any signs of the mystery person coming closer. But after a few small seconds - that felt much longer due to his current situation - he felt an odd tickling sensation along his left leg. At first Harry assumed someone had left the window open, and that it was simply a cold ocean breeze drifting through the room. However, the tickling didn't waver: If anything it grew stronger. This time, though, it was accompanied by a delightful - albeit quite alarming - warmth.

Harry fought against the urge to flinch, especially as the mysterious tickling travelled upward. It was insanely annoying, more so because he had no idea what it even was. All he could truly say with certainty was that someone... no, _something,_ was in the room with him.

The tickling stayed near the left side of his stomach and the warmth grew in the space near his ribs. Then there was a small, cold pressure against his skin, coming from two very, very small hands.

 _'Not hands'_ , he realised with a silent curse... _paws._

Despite the fact he'd been killing little kitty-cats and scattering them around the inner Isle, Harry held no great distain for the furry little pests. They never came to his side of the Isle so it wasn't as if they wreaked havoc around the shoreline, and they were rather interesting once they calmed down. Obviously the animals hadn't been too welcoming at first when he'd gripped the back of their necks and tossed them in cages. He'd kept them fed and warm down in the cells, and gave them a little petting every once in a while.

He'd made sure to kill the chosen few away from the rest. After all, he already had one cat on his ass lately, he didn't need a few more on top of that.

While the confusion of having a cat near him now niggled away at his mind, it also brought a wonderful realisation. The only cats on this side of the Isle were the ones he had locked away in the cells.

He was on _his_ ship.

With this thought in mind the pirate determined that he was safe, and carefully began the agonizing task of opening his eyes.

While in the midst of attempting to look around the room - which he could only assume was his own now that he knew he was on his ship - Harry felt a strange, prickling sort of feeling on his skin, as if someone had grabbed some sandpaper and decided to lightly rub it along his stomach.

Intrigued, he finally managed to open his eyes, exasperated when he found his vision clouded and blurred. He had to have been asleep for quite a while, or he'd been unbearably fatigued due to the slicing he'd received from the Five.

After a moment of repetitive and furious blinking he was soon able to see what the furry little thing was doing to him.

"What the bloody hell are ya doin'," he mumbled, more toward himself than the cat.

The animal stopped the second he spoke, slowly pulling its tongue back into its mouth and away from the scabbing wound. Wide yellow eyes peered up at the pirate, the cat's black tail fluffing up in alarm. The little thing was clearly surprised he was awake, and from the expression he was receiving Harry knew it wasn't pleased.

"Any chance ya can go an' fetch my Captain?" he jokingly asked, wondering if he was still semi-delirious from everything that'd happened. He knew he was crazy, but talking to cats was a whole new level of insane... even for him.

Much to Harry's astonishment, the little thing nodded and jumped down from the bed, heading through the open door.

The pirate huffed in amusement, slowly lowering his head back to the pillow. He stared up at the ceiling, wracking his brain for any recollection of what'd happened after Cassie had stopped slicing away. Unfortunately, though, whatever had happened afterward was unknown to him, and he'd have to wait patiently for his Captain to shed some light on the situation.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long. In a few minutes the door to his room swung open: Fully, this time.

For a moment, there was only silence. His Captain lingered in the doorway, arms crossed against her stomach as she leaned against the arch, a single brow raised as she stared at him. Obviously she remembered what'd happened before he left just as well as Harry did, and the pirate knew exactly what she was waiting for.

"Ya're gonna make me say it, aren't ya?" he groaned.

"I told you it didn't feel right. I told you, Harry," she said, taking slow steps into the room.

"I know ya did," he muttered exasperatedly. "Ya were right, Uma. I shouldn' of left."

Harry waited patiently for the scolding he was sure he was due to receive, or at least for his Captain to gloat a little. He wouldn't hold it against her if she did. Had their situations been reversed he'd have done as much.

The tense silence lingered, and the first mate raised a questioning brow in Uma's direction. She'd always been so quick to put him down before, to mock him in her own playful way for his failures. Never before had she been this reluctant to taunt him, and he wasn't ashamed to acknowledge just how much her silence unnerved him.

"Uma," he muttered, bringing her attention back to his face. "What happened?"

The daughter of Ursula had always been rather skilled with masking her true emotions, and this time was no different. Her lips pursed, and her dark eyes kept steady contact with his. Even as she moved to sit next to him on the bed her impassive expression gave nothing away, but the fact she hadn't yet thrown the entire situation back in his face to prove that she'd been right was a clue on its own.

"You've been out for a week, Harry," she said, her gaze flickering down toward his stomach. "We didn't know if-" she stopped herself from voicing the rest, though Harry had to assume it'd been mainly for her benefit instead of his.

"Ya didn' know if I was gonna wake or not," he finished, his stomach turning with a rare guilt when his Captain's eyes shut tight, her bottom lip trembling for a mere second.

Harry loathed weakness, and he preyed on those dumb enough to reveal any of theirs to him. So while it pained him greatly when he thought about it too hard, he knew full well that he had two of his own. Two weaknesses made of bone, flesh, and blood. Two weaknesses he couldn't wear around his neck or lock away in his room.

Uma and Gil. His Captain would always come first, but the son of Gaston was right underneath her. They were the only two people he could stand to be around on the island prison they called home, and the only two he'd willingly risk his life for. But while they were his, he also knew with certainty that he was also theirs.

The first mate briefly wondered how he'd feel in this moment had their situations been switched. How he'd have felt or acted after being told Uma or Gil had been ambushed and sliced, left alone to bleed out in an empty tower. How would he have felt if they'd been brought back, somehow still alive, and he had to watch them sleep for a week without knowing if they'd ever wake up again? In truth, the simple thought of such a thing pained him like nothing else ever would, and he truly admired his Captain for showing as much restraint as she was in the current moment.

"How did I get back?" he inquired, content with the decision to sway them away from any thoughts of one of the trio disappearing for good.

At his question, Uma released a low, humoured chuckle. Even without knowing the reason behind it Harry couldn't help but enjoy the sight, the fact she was still able to find amusement after everything that'd happened soothing his inner worry.

"You're gonna hate it," she told him, a familiar glint shining in the corner of her eyes.

Harry frowned, an unwelcomed sense of apprehension stirring around in his chest. He stared down at his Captain, not quite enjoying the way the corners of her lips tugged upward into a subtle smirk.

"Uma, what happened?"

A swift, shadow-like figure darted across the room, momentarily distracting the first mate. It moved from the door to left side of the room, jumping up onto the table where he kept his maps and treasures.

Silence filled the room once more. Harry stared thoughtfully at the black-furred feline perched atop his desk, his eyes scanning its features for a moment. He wasn't sure if it was because he was delirious from being asleep for so long, or if there was something strange about the way this particular cat looked back at him, but there was an odd uncertainty nagging away in the back of his mind, something inside of his head telling him that something just wasn't right.

It took the son of Hook a little longer than he would ever admit to figure it out. _This_ cat had gone and fetched Uma for him when he'd asked it. _This_ cat had also come strolling right back into the room with no caution at all, whereas any of the other felines would've surely gone running straight back into the inner isle and away from the shoreline. Sure, he'd been unconscious for a week, but there was no way his Captain had suddenly decided to take in a stray; Gil was a good enough substitute if she needed some company. Harry was unsure, but the puzzle pieces slid into place one by one until he had a theory - no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

"Cassie?"

The animal hissed loudly, sharp fangs on full display as the piercing sound escaped its mouth.

 _That_ was Harry's answer.

"Oh for fucks sake," the pirate cursed, turning to face Uma. "What's she doin' here?"

" _She_ saved your life," his Captain fired back. "Without her you'd be dead."

"What tha fuck are ya goin' on about?!" he exclaimed, brows raised in absolute confusion.

Uma paused for a moment, her dark eyes drifting to the furry pest sat on top of the desk.

"Go find Gil, pussycat."

A rumbling growl - which Harry assumed was some form of displeasure - bubbled up from the little cat's throat, but she eventually followed Uma's demand and jumped down from the desk, running through the open door.

When he was certain the little thing was out of earshot, Harry turned to his Captain. He didn't need to say anything for Uma to understand just how furious he was to be put in the presence of the very person who'd put him in this situation in the first place, and he dreaded to know how Cassie had managed to get Uma to leave her unwounded after everything she'd done.

"Cassie told me what happened," the Captain began, her voice low and calm. "You went to find her at Maleficent's place, and you got ambushed by Mad Maddy and her goons."

Harry pursed his lips, the simple discomfort he'd once felt enhancing as he listened to Uma's story. He might've lost a lot of blood that night, and he'd been unconscious for a week, but he remembered everything that'd happened clear as day. He knew every single detail leading up to the moment he fell into darkness, and even a few moments afterward. _He_ knew the full story, but he couldn't help but feel as if Uma didn't.

"Aye," he drawled, gesturing for Uma to continue.

"She said she was hiding up in her attic, but she heard the noises coming from Mal's room. She waited until the five were gone before she came down, and then she found you..." Uma's voice trailed off into silence, her eyes staring deep into the empty space right beside Harry's head.

"Uma," he mumbled, the anger he felt toward the sly little kitty simmering down at the sight of his best friend so distraught by what'd happened to him.

"She found you drowning in a puddle of your own blood," the teal-haired V.K. whispered, a saddened shine drifting into her eyes. She was obviously picturing the entire thing in her mind, and the emotions it brought on for her were clearly taking their toll.

"Oi, c'mon now," the first mate soothed, gently placing two fingers beneath her chin to tilt her head upward. "Look at me." He waited patiently for her gaze to meet his, and then he continued, "D'ya really think I'd leave ya here on yar own? Have some bloody faith in me, Uma."

Much to Harry's relief, Uma gave a small scoff of annoyance, lightly shaking her head back and forth. She had every right to be pissed at him, but the small twitch of her lips was enough. He'd scared the shit out of her but he could still turn that frown upside down when he tried hard enough.

"Anyway," he sighed, "how did I get back?"

"Cassie went and found Gil somehow, told him what'd happened and where you were, and they both brought you back here," she explained.

"Hold on, the little kitty brought me back too?"

Uma nodded. "Uh-huh. When they brought you back you were covered in blood, and I thought the worst had happened. You weren't moving, Harry, and your heartbeat was so weak... I didn't think you'd last the night."

"So why did I?" he asked.

"As it turns out, Cassie had a few more tricks up her sleeve. Her dad's magical powers were taken from him when the Auradonians threw him on the Isle, but only the more obvious tricks. Shape-shifting, turning invisible, bouncing from world to world. I don't know if they forgot about the last one, or if they didn't know, but the Cheshire Cat could heal wounds.

"When Cassie brought you back here with Gil I was just about ready to kill her. I had her against the wall, my sword on her throat, but then she said she could heal you." Uma tore her gaze away from Harry's, nervously toying with one of her braids. "You gotta understand, Harry. I thought you were dying, and there was so much blood."

"Ya took the deal," he muttered, a disappointed grimace crossing his face.

"Obviously," she sighed, clearly agitated with herself for having accepted Cassie's help. "The healing only works through saliva. I don't get it... hell, even Cassie doesn't know how it works. But what matters is that it _does work._ It was really weird to watch, and if it makes you feel any better she didn't enjoy herself."

"Huh," the first mate mumbled, torn between confusion and slight intrigue. At least it explained why Cassie was licking him earlier.

"Yeah, I know, it's weird."

"No shit," he whispered.

"Harry," the Captain began, somewhat anxiously. "Cassie asked for something in return."

 _'Of course she did,'_ he thought, lightly rolling his eyes skyward.

"A life for a life. If she was going to save yours, then we had to spare hers. The game you two have been playing this past month is over. No more killing, no more taking from each other. One of you were going to die at the end of it and it was almost you. I can't take that risk again, Harry."

A rapidly growing fire of complete fury burned bright inside the first mate. He completely understood why Uma had taken the deal, knowing full well he would've done the exact same thing if her life was ever on the line. However, it was painfully obvious that his best friend hadn't been told the full details of what'd happened that night. Cassie had told her the truth, but not the entire truth. The crafty little kitty had spun a tale that could free her from him, and if he wasn't so fucking angry he might've been impressed.

"Why's she still here?" he managed to ask, pushing past the agitation for a moment.

"I had my own terms. She had to stay here and heal you until you woke up. If you woke up then the deal was done, and she could go back to whatever she was doing before. But if you died then so did she."

All in all, it was a fair deal.

Harry gave a long sigh, his mind racing as he let Uma's words sink into his brain. He was more than happy to be alive of course, but the price that'd been paid tampered his mood significantly.

The twisted 'game' he'd been playing with the Cheshire Cat's daughter had only been between the two of them since the beginning. No one else had somehow gotten hurt in the process... no one that mattered to him, anyway. There had been a single moment when she'd won the challenge and Uma had been forced to hand over her beloved necklace, but he'd been quick enough to fix that situation. This time, though, his Captain had suffered. He could barely imagine what'd gone through Uma's mind when Gil brought him back to their territory that night, how she'd felt when she saw him lifeless and bleeding. She'd spent a full week waiting for him to show any signs of waking, and hadn't even known if he ever would. It had to have pained her, and the fact he couldn't even get his revenge on Cassie was simply infuriating.

There was only one thing he _could_ do.

"I wanna speak to Cassie."

~...~...~

It was rather astonishing, really, how one simple week was enough for someone's life to be completely flipped upside down. One minute she was wallowing in Helena's bedroom, and in the next she was enjoying food and having a long, friendly talk with Gil outside of Uma's shoppe. There had been moments in between then, of course, where things had drifted precariously between good and bad, but the eventual outcome hadn't been that horrible.

Until now, that is.

Cassie moved hesitantly toward Harry's bedroom door, purposefully slowing her movements to drag out the inevitable. It didn't matter that she'd made the deal with Uma, or that the Captain's word was final when it came to the pirates. Harry was quick-tempered and rather impulsive, word or not he'd kill her if he really felt the need to.

On the other hand, though, there was a chance he didn't remember anything from that night. He'd lost a lot of blood, and Cassie was pretty sure he'd swayed in and out of death more than once, so it wasn't too much to hope that he couldn't remember. Uma hadn't seemed too mad when she came through and told Cassie the hook-wielding pirate wanted a 'chat', so she was pretty sure Harry hadn't spilled the beans on everything that'd happened that night. The little cat held hope, even if it was just a fraction.

Cassie stopped right outside Harry's room, her bottom lip clamped firmly between her teeth as she eyed the closed door. She'd thought that after Uma accepted her deal she'd feel safe, or at least a little secure, but when it came to Harry there would always be an uncertainty. From everything Cassie had witnessed since meeting him she knew with certainty that he adored his Captain, but he didn't always think his actions through, especially when he was pissed off. There was a fifty/fifty chance he was going to kill her tonight, so she had to tread carefully.

After inhaling a deep and soothing breath, she reluctantly tugged on the door handle and gave a small push.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to show up."

Cassie's stomach did a turn when his voice disturbed the silence, and she subtly brought her arm across her midriff, the memories from one night in particular stirring her anxiety.

"Harry," she curtly greeted, warily hovering in the doorway.

That damned grin she loathed so greatly made its presence once more. She couldn't seem to hide her nerves this time, and the fact she wasn't sure what he did or did not remember only made things worse. By now the first mate had to have a pretty good idea on how to tell what she was feeling, and whatever he saw in her now only increased his delight.

"Why so nervous, little one? I can' exactly hurt ya now, can I?"

"You don't exactly play by the rules, Harry. You could hurt me anytime you felt like it," she replied, relieved when her tone of voice remained steady and unshaken.

Harry tutted. "Now, now, kitty, we both know I can' do shite ta ya."

Cassie was a lot of things, but she was far from an idiot. Harry's word wasn't exactly something to rely on, but from the way his lips twitched down at the corners, and the quick furrowing of his brows, she assured herself that he wasn't going to hurt her in any way. He was frustrated, and he wouldn't be that way unless he really _couldn't_ _do_ anything.

There was a peculiar confidence in knowing he couldn't do anything to her when he must've really wanted to, some sort of satisfaction in knowing she could be around him without worrying about losing her life. As long as she didn't push his buttons too hard then she was fine. But that didn't mean she couldn't have _some_ fun with him though.

With a small surge of self-confidence Cassie came further into the room, taking it one step further by closing the door behind her. At first she worried she was being way too reckless, but when she spotted the deep frown of annoyance coming from the pirate she knew she was fine.

"Uma said you wanted to talk to me," she said, standing near the bottom of the bed.

Harry remained silent, his tongue digging into the inside of his cheek as his eyes darted between her and the bottom of the bed. Only after a moment of deep thought did he move, his left hand repeatedly patting the space on the bed near his ribs.

"Fuck no," she immediately objected, a quick laugh of disbelief passing through her lips. She was somewhat bold enough to come into his room and close the door, but there was no way in Hades he was getting her any closer.

"Ya said it yarself, kitty, I don' play by the rules. If ya play by mine, though, I might be nice."

That entire sentence in itself was an unsaid threat. If she didn't go along with him now then there was no sure way for her to know he was going to leave her alone after this. Even with Uma's word as Captain there would be a faint niggling in the back of her mind, a constant paranoia in wondering if he would come after her again. If she went with everything now, though, there would be no real reason for him to start tormenting her again. All she had to do was go with it now and - once it was all over and done with - then she wouldn't have to do this again.

Cassie attentively moved closer, her arm pressing harder against her stomach. When she was close enough, however, her agitated mind prevented her from going any further.

"C'mon now, kitty," the pirate urged, his voice low and soothing. "Almos' there." He was mocking her, that much was obvious, but just as his temper was quick to rise when pushed, so was hers.

With a small huff she sat down in the space, her left leg resting on the bed while her right hung down, her right foot resting firmly on the floor. She might've been trying to prove a point but she was still more than ready to run if things went downhill.

"So," she sighed, trying her hardest to calm her racing heart. "What did you wanna talk about?"

"A lot o' things, actually, but we'll start easy, yeah?"

Cassie dreaded to think of what Harry might class as 'easy', and found her worries were justified when he turned his left hand over, stretching out his fingers one by one until she saw a long, deep slice in the centre of his palm.

"I had a bit of an accident, ya see, but I'm sure ya can fix it," he breezily explained, lifting his hand until it was just below her chin.

At first she had to wonder how he'd managed to do it, but when she spotted the gleaming hook beside him on the bed she had her answer. Now she could only focus on the task he expected her to complete.

Cassie hesitated, her dark eyes drifting from the hand in front of her to the expectant pirate it belonged to. In her mind she relentlessly cussed out his Captain for having told him about her little 'trick', since the V.K. should've known he'd use it against the little cat somehow.

"Anytime now, kitty," he sang, nodding toward his hand.

After a moment of thought, in which she repeatedly reminded herself she'd done this to him before, Cassie finally moved forward. She lightly wrapped the fingers of her right hand around his wrist, partly to bring his hand closer, but also to make sure he didn't try anything while she healed him. Then - finally - she bowed her head ever so slightly, dragging the flat of her tongue across the bloody wound on his hand.

Depending on how deep and severe the wound was, it usually took three deep licks to fully inject her 'magic spit', and Cassie counted them off in her head. The second it was over, though, she dropped Harry's hand and retracted her tongue, ignoring the metallic taste swirling around in her mouth.

Cassie watched as Harry concentrated hard on where he'd cut his hand, his eyes widening as the wound slowly began to close. She'd seen the effects enough times now for the fascination of it all to wear off, but seeing someone else react to such a thing was a troubling reminder that what she could do was a true gift, and in the wrong hands it could mean an end to her freedom.

"That's a nifty little trick, isn' it?" he commented, curiously staring at his hand as he flexed his fingers.

"Not really," she timidly replied, momentarily averting her eyes.

It didn't take too long for Harry's attention to drift, and soon enough his gaze was back on her. He lowered his hand to the bed, dragging his tongue along his bottom lip as he eyed the little cat.

"I wanna know what happened," he said. " _Everything_ that happened."

 _'So he does know,'_ she thought, slowly leaning back as a sudden unease fluttered through her tummy. He knew she'd lied to Uma.

"Before or after?" she wondered, swallowing down the nervous lump in her throat.

"After," he specified, tilting his head to the side. "I know exactly what happened before."

Cassie hadn't given that night much thought since she'd made the deal with Uma. Thinking back on what had happened, and what she'd done, only seemed to bring on a great deal of distress and guilt, so she'd done her best during the past week to simply ignore it. It hadn't been too hard for her, though, since Gil had been practically sewn to her side since Uma announced she was sticking around until Harry woke up. The son of Gaston had been all too happy to 'keep an eye' on the little cat, and Cassie found him to be a wonderful distraction.

However, the content could only last for so long, and she'd been waiting for this moment since she'd arrived. After today she wouldn't have to think back on that night again. After today she was done.

She just prayed she'd get through the day in one piece.

"Maddy didn't let me stop until you passed out," she started, staring down at the raggedy old blanket beneath her. "I kind'a phased out most of it... I don't know why. My guess is my head couldn't handle it, so it sent me somewhere else until it was over. I didn't really know what'd happened until I got back to Hel-" She stopped abruptly, an awful nausea bubbling up in the back of her throat when she realised what she'd just revealed to the hook-wielding pirate.

"Until ya got back ta Helena's place," he finished. "So, that's where ya've been."

Cassie stayed quiet, her dark eyes flashing toward the hook beside him. She'd stupidly forgotten that her living in Helena's salon had been a secret, mainly because she'd spent the past week with Gil, who'd known where she was since they dragged Harry back to the ship. She'd royally fucked up, but she was willing to correct that mistake if Harry even hinted that he was going to go after her friend.

"Calm down, kitty," the pirate chuckled, noticing her worry. "Yar mate's protected. I couldn' touch 'er even if I wanted to."

The little cat frowned, her curiosity peaking at his words. Helena hadn't ever mentioned being protected. When Cassie thought harder about it, though, it did make sense. The Queen of Hearts had a kid with one of Gaston's eldest sons, and he just so happened to be part of a very vicious gang in the inner Isle; Of course she had protection.

"Now, tell me what I wanna know, kitty."

~...~...~

 _Cassie paced back and forth in the well-decorated bedroom, her thoughts frantically spinning around in her mind, making it much harder for her to concentrate on anything solid. The voice in her head was louder than ever tonight, repeatedly mocking and taunting her with flashing images of blood and cuts. It didn't seem to matter that she'd long since washed the stains away in Helena's bathtub, or that the Queen had been kind enough to let her hang around in her bedroom until the Fearsome Five left: Nothing was going to help keep the voice away._

 _The Cheshire Cat's daughter bit down on her bottom lip, practically clawing at her skin in an effort to rid herself of the unending and overbearing sensation of bugs moving around beneath the surface. It was like something dark and sinister had crept its way into her mind and body, painstakingly moving through each limb like it meant to torment her. She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but she hadn't ever had to endure it before and she prayed to anyone who was listening for it to go away._

 _The laughter from the group downstairs was coherent enough through the floorboards, and it only succeeded in driving Cassie further into madness. She'd had her own reasons for attacking Harry tonight, but the Fearsome Five hadn't had one. They'd done this as a favour for Helena without needing proper motivation to go through with such a thing. Cassie had always balanced precariously on the line between right and wrong, but she knew deep down she was far from evil, and the moral girl inside of her just couldn't understand how the Five could be so light-hearted after doing such a thing to someone. Two against one was pushing it far enough... but six against one? It wasn't fair. No matter how much Harry deserved what'd been done to him tonight, the way Cassie had gone about this entire thing had been wrong._

 _She just wished she hadn't had to have found out the hard way._

 _Killing the son of Hook had never been her intention. He'd been hunting her down for almost two months now, slaughtering poor, defenceless animals to draw her out of hiding: It only made sense that she'd want some kind of revenge for it. The only thing Cassie had hoped to achieve was freedom, or at least the ability to roam about on the Isle like she used to without having to worry about Harry trying to track her. Hurting him had obviously been a part of the plan, but killing him was taking it way further than she'd ever planned on going._

 _Cassie stumbled over to the window and yanked on the handles, sucking in a deep breath of air when the harsh wind of the Isle came into the room. Her body was on fire tonight, and the hot bath Helena had provided hadn't helped much._

 _After a moment or two, where she simply inhaled and exhaled deep and soothing breaths, Cassie peered out into the street. She had no idea what time it was, but the darkness still blanketed the streets, and aside from the tealights she couldn't see any other source of light coming from another building._

 _"Cassie, hey!"_

 _At the calling of her name she looked down, her dark eyes scanning about the shadows until she spotted a familiar face stood right outside the building._

 _"Gil," she muttered, both relieved and baffled to find him here so late. "What're you doing here?"_

 _"I'm looking for my brothers," he replied, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "Why are you here?"_

 _For the first time that night, Cassie's inner voice went quiet, allowing the cogs in her brain to turn. She ignored the warning that reminded her she was supposed to be in hiding, that no one was supposed to know she'd been staying with Helena. Instead she focussed on the little clicks in her brain, a small - albeit slightly insane - plan forming in the back of her mind._

 _Without giving much thought to her actions, since she knew full well she'd overthink it and stay in the salon, Cassie straddled the window, looking for a way down. She soon found her way in a thick, black drain trailing along the edge of the building._

 _"Uh... is that safe?"_

 _Cassie ignored the blonde-haired pirate for the time being, concentrating hard on her foot placement as she climbed her way down the side of the building. She was safely down on the floor in a matter of seconds, and she praised her wonderful climbing skills for saving her ass once more._

 _"Gil," she huffed, keeping her voice quiet to avoid Helena or the Five overhearing. "I need your help. Harry's in trouble."_

 _"What do you mean?" he inquired. "What happened? Where is he?"_ _The demanding edge his tone of voice took wasn't lost on the little cat, and hearing something so threatening from someone so innocent was rather alarming._

 _Cassie could've given Gil an explanation of some sort, preferably one that kept her well away from receiving any blame from Uma, but she knew the red pirate didn't have long left. She could think up a lie on the way, her main task now was just getting to Bargain Castle in time._

 _"Just follow me, okay?" She waited patiently for him to give her any sign that he understood, and a second after she received a nod._

 _Despite the cold air drifting through the Isle, Cassie found the run back to Bargain Castle incredibly stifling. She could hear the faint, fast-paced thuds of her heartbeat, drowning out any other noise that might've rang out in the silent streets. Her entire being was fully dedicated to making it to Bargain Castle before it was too late, and she didn't spare one glance over her shoulder to make sure Gil was keeping up with her fast movements._

 _They arrived at the Castle in record time, and Cassie immediately fled toward the staircase. She sprinted up the steps, Gil's heavy thuds close behind. As they neared the top, however, she spotted something on the balcony._

 _'Not something,' she thought, her footsteps slowing; Someone._

 _Whatever it was they ate over in pirate territory, it was certainly doing them favours. Cassie knew exactly what position Harry had been in when she and the Fearsome Five had gone back to the salon. He'd been laid out on the floor, arms stretched above his head despite the twins releasing his wrists, his shirt tugged up beneath his collarbones, stomach and chest on full display and covered with deep cuts and slashes. He'd been inside Mal's bedroom, unconscious, drenched in his own blood._

 _No one would've helped Harry out onto the balcony. He must've woken up sometime after they'd left and dragged himself out._

 _"Harry!" Gil cried out from behind her, shoving past the little cat as he rushed toward his friend. "Shit!"_

 _Cassie's anxiety had been running at an all time high during the run over, but now it'd turned to fear and shame. If the terrified and utterly devastated expression on Gil's face was stirring up her guilt, then what on earth was going to happen to her when Uma found out?_

 _The little cat turned quickly, holding her hair behind her head with one hand while the other grasped the railing. Her throat burned as the liquid bubbled up from her stomach and through her mouth, spurts of vomit falling down into the dark abyss below._

 _Cassie was no stranger to being the cause of her own demise. She hadn't ever really been one for fighting and harassing, but her night-time 'walks' had always carried a certain element of danger and uncertainty. She'd always been in charge of her own fate, and she'd always known that her pesky ways would be the end of her eventually. This was the way she lived her life and she was somewhat content with that fact. Now, though, her actions had caused the death of another. It'd been her hand that held the knife, and her movements that caused the bleeding wounds on his skin. Revenge had driven her to do the unthinkable and now she was paying for it._

 _"Wait."_

 _The Cheshire Cat's daughter looked over at Gil, using the back of her sleeve to wipe away any remnants of tears or vomit from her face. She watched with a saddened curiosity as the pirate placed two fingers against the side of Harry's neck, his brows furrowed and lips pursed in deep concentration._

 _"He's still alive," he announced, releasing a deep sigh of relief._

 _"What?" she squeaked, crawling across the floor to get closer._

 _"His heart's still beating," he explained with a faint smile. "Now we just have to get him home."_

 _Cassie quickly tucked her hair behind her ears, her dark eyes scanning the numerous cuts decorating Harry's pale skin. The fact he was alive even now was a miracle, especially considering the amount of blood he'd lost when dragging himself out onto the balcony. If his wounds stayed the way they were, and they tried to move him, there was a very high chance he'd die on the way._

 _'You can save him,' her inner voice whispered, awakening a faint sense of hope._

 _Much to the little cat's distress, she knew the voice was right. If she did it now, and she did it fast, there was a small chance it could save him. At the very least it would give the pirate a fighting chance, and it'd certainly clean up his cuts, maybe even quick-start the healing process if they weren't too deep. But this meant some form of self sacrifice on her part. If she did this now, in front of Gil, the only secret she had left would be out in the open. She had to make a firm decision on whether or not she was ready to risk herself for the life of another._

 _It didn't take long for her to know the answer._

 _"Turn him over," she said firmly, nodding toward Harry. "Don't ask questions, just do it."_

 _It was blatantly obvious from everything she'd seen that Gil was used to following the orders of women, and this time was no different. He quickly turned the hook-wielding pirate over onto his back, a whine of discomfort escaping his mouth when he saw the blood staining Harry's shirt._

 _Cassie held back the nausea as she lifted Harry's shirt, revealing her 'handiwork' to the blonde-haired pirate beside her. "Try not to puke," she mumbled as a warning, pulling her hair over her right shoulder as she leaned down._

 _In all honesty, she wasn't even sure if this would work. There hadn't been too many moments during her life where she'd had to do this, but enough for her to have grown used to it. The only issue was that she'd never done this for someone else, and she had no way of knowing if it would help Harry now. Even if it didn't work, though, she would be able to assure herself that she'd done everything in her power to save him, and maybe it would be enough to keep her from drowning._

 _With each deep stroke of her tongue, Cassie held back the urge to vomit once more. When her tongue dipped back into her mouth, and the pirate's blood ran down her throat, she did her best to distract herself from the gruesome task she was currently completing. She kept her eyes shut tight, the knuckles of her left hand whitening as she held onto Harry's coat._

 _Cassie wished she'd just put her foot down earlier. Instead of letting herself be pressured into doing something she knew she had to stop, she should've told Maddy that she was done. If she'd just grown a fucking backbone and told them to shove it then she wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. On the other hand, though, Cassie dreaded to think of what might've happened if she'd even attempted such a thing. If she'd done that then maybe she would've wound up in Harry's place instead._

 _When Cassie was satisfied she'd 'cleaned' each and every slice, she moved back and sat straight, using her hand to wipe Harry's blood off of her chin and lips. She'd done her part... now the rest was up to Harry._

 _~...~...~_

"Ya licked me clean, eh?" the red pirate mirthfully taunted, a twinkle of dark amusement passing through his eyes.

Cassie grimaced. "Don't read into it, Harry. I had to save your life, remember?" she said pointedly, bringing her right leg up onto the bed so that she could get more comfortable.

"I'm not judgin' ya, love," he said, his lips forming a large grin as he mockingly held his hands up in a 'white-flag' motion. "So... how did my black, tainted blood taste?"

Cassie narrowed her eyes, confusion swimming in her dark orbs as she watched his smile grow wider. It took her a minute or two, but then she finally remembered.

 _'Poor Tic-Tock, probably didn't want to spend the rest of the night throwing up all that black, tainted blood in your veins.'_ The very first time they'd met it'd been those words she'd used to push him over the edge, and now he was using them to taunt her.

"It tasted wonderful, actually," she replied. "Nice enough for me to want to slit your throat right about now." Her eyes drifted toward the hook on the bed, only to dart back up to his face when she heard his chuckles.

"Ya're not bad, kitty," he noted. "But don't ya think ya're reachin' with that one?"

The little cat allowed a growl to form in her throat, but her agitation grew when she realised it'd only further fuelled Harry's delight.

"Asshole," she muttered, taming down the flicker of anger that sparked in her chest. "Do you wanna know the rest? Or are you gonna keep being a douche?"

"My apologies, kitty," he said, though she knew full well he was far from apologetic. "Continue."

~...~...~

 _Cassie stayed close behind Gil as they moved toward the outer Isle, occasionally glancing back in each and every direction to make sure no one was trying to follow them. Fearsome Five and Uma's pirates aside, there were other dangerous gangs roaming about the Isle, so she and Gil had to be very, very careful tonight._

 _As they moved throughout the streets, Cassie stared at Harry's still-unconscious form draped over Gil's shoulder, his arms hanging down the blonde-pirate's back. The hook-wielding pirate still hadn't moved an inch, and the little cat was worried that he still might've passed at some point during their journey into Uma's territory. She tried her best to not think so pessimistically, but she couldn't help it. Right now there was a good chance Gil was simply carrying the corpse of his best friend back to their Captain, and Cassie wasn't too sure she wanted to stick around for that end result._

 _When Gil slowed to a stop in front of her she did the same, crossing her arms across her stomach as the son of Gaston removed Harry from his shoulder, a pained grunt passing through his lips as he wrapped an arm around his friend's waist, pulling Harry's right arm over his shoulders._

 _"Cassie. Help."_

 _The little cat raced forward and copied Gil's actions, mirroring him on Harry's other side. At first she assumed he'd asked for her assistance because Harry's weight was beginning to slow him down, but when they travelled further - and she finally realised exactly where they were - she knew it was because they were nearing Uma's ship._

 _Together they dragged Harry across the bridge leading onto the ship and downstairs into the hall, his boots scraping along the wooden floor as they moved toward his bedroom door. Gil reached forward and tugged on the handle, using his foot to kick open the door._

 _Eventually they managed to lower Harry onto his bed, and as soon as he was down Gil went straight back toward the door._

 _"Stay here," he told her, his fast-paced footsteps fading as he sprinted through the ship._

 _For a moment Cassie merely stared at the open door, torn between staying where she was and running straight back to Helena's salon. Realistically, she had no true reason to stay. She'd done her part for the red pirate, and it would be practically suicidal to hang around and wait for Uma to see what'd been done to her best friend._

 _The little cat looked down at the sleeping pirate, a thoughtful frown crossing her features as she looked over his stomach. His wounds had long-since stopped bleeding, and they didn't seem as bad as they had when she and Gil had first found him, but that didn't mean he was getting better. The slices were still open, and the lifted skin around the edges were still a pinkish-red colour. The small 'healing session' she'd given him on the balcony might've done some, but it wasn't doing enough._

 _Rapidly moving footsteps thudded through the hall, and Cassie swiftly pulled her attention away from Harry._

 _Cassie wasn't at all surprised when Uma was the first to appear in the doorway: She'd known the pirate Captain would be the first person Gil would run to for this. What did catch the little cat off guard, however, was the teal-haired girl's reaction._

 _"Harry," the Captain whispered, slowly moving further into the room. Her wide, disbelieving eyes stared hard at his face, though they soon travelled down toward the wounds on his chest and stomach._

 _The Cheshire Cat's daughter gently moved back from the bed, determined to steer clear of the possibly-about-to-explode Uma. A strange - possibly morbid - form of intrigue welled up inside of her as she watched the Captain drop her rear end onto the bed beside Harry, her left hand smoothing strands of hair out of his closed eyes._

 _"He's still alive, Uma."_

 _Cassie flinched in surprise. She'd been so preoccupied with watching Uma grieve over her friend that she hadn't noticed Gil now stood in the doorway. The little cat's fears enhanced, though, when she realised that he was also blocking her only way out, and unless he moved she was trapped in the room with his devastated Captain._

 _When Cassie pulled her gaze away from Gil, she was terrified to find Uma's fiery eyes locked solely on her. The Captain didn't need to know the details of what'd done down to know that Cassie had been a part of what happened to Harry, it was obvious enough by everything that'd occurred over the past few weeks that tonight's attack had been due to their ongoing feud. The only thing Uma knew right now was that her closest crewmate was balancing on the line between life and death, and her anger was targeting the most obvious culprit._

 _With a loud yell of fury the pirate Captain removed herself from Harry's side, drawing her sword with a speed Cassie hadn't ever witnessed before, and rounding the bed until she stood directly in front of the little cat._

 _"What happened?" she hatefully demanded, her sword digging painfully into Cassie's throat._

 _"Uma, listen to me-" Cassie stopped talking when the pointed tip of Uma's sword pushed deeper into her skin, most likely drawing blood in the process._

 _"What did you do to him?!" the Captain screamed, her emotions clearly pushing back any rational thought the girl had._

 _"I didn't do anything!" the little cat shouted back, the words flying through her lips before she could even give it a second thought. "He came to the Castle to find me, but someone else was there too. It wasn't me, Uma, I swear."_

 _Even in the most stressful of circumstances, it seemed, Cassie could still lie her ass off; She really surprised herself sometimes._

 _"Liar!"_

 _"I'm not lying! You saw it yourself, Uma. I just about managed to hurt him during our challenge, and I could've killed him when I knocked him out in my den but I didn't! I don't have it in me to hurt people like that. I swear it wasn't me." Cassie lowered her voice as she neared the end of her lie, hoping with every fibre of her being that - in her understandably sorrowful state - Uma didn't see through the false sincerity the little cat was giving her._

 _"It doesn't matter," the Captain whimpered, her voice cracking toward the end. "He went after you, pussycat. This is your fault."_

 _From the tears freely falling from Uma's dark eyes, and the pained shadow Cassie could see so clearly deep within, the little cat knew she had to play out her very last hand. It was a rather daring move on Cassie's part, but Harry was the only thing Uma seemed to care about right now, so she took her shot._

 _"I can save him!"_

 _There was a brief silence, soon broken by a dark, humourless chuckle passing through Uma's lips._

 _"Save him?" she spat, pointing to her half-dead friend with her other hand. "Look at him! Nothing on this side of the barrier can save him."_

 _"Let me prove it to you," the little cat pleaded. "Please, Uma."_

 _The Captain hesitated, her hatred toward Cassie clashing with the need to bring her best friend back into this world. In the end, though, she could only choose one option._

 _"Prove it."_

 _With a newfound sense of hope, Cassie brought up her right hand and wrapped her fingers around Uma's sword, grasping harder and harder until she saw a droplet of blood trickle from her palm. She showed the slices to Uma, just to prove that the wound was real and this wasn't some kind of trick. Only when the Captain gave a nod for her to continue did Cassie bring her hand back toward herself, her tongue darting out to lick the bleeding cuts three times._

 _"I told you," she muttered, feeling the familiar itch as her skin began to seal itself together. "I'm not lying." She raised her hand for Uma to see, her hope rising when she saw the Captain's eyes widen just a fraction._

 _The air grew thick with tension, and Cassie waited patiently for Uma to determine her fate. It was an infuriating wait, but the little cat was sure she knew what the V.K.'s answer was going to be, and that was enough for her to keep her mouth shut. She'd proved she had the ability to heal Harry, so there was no way in Hades Uma was going to let the opportunity to save his life go to waste._

 _"What do you want?" the Captain eventually inquired, eyes sceptically narrowed._

 _Cassie shrugged. "I just want this grudge to end... it's all I've wanted since the start," she said, relieved to find her heartbeat dimming down into its usual rhythm now that she wasn't in any danger._

 _"That's it?"_

 _"That's it."_

 _Uma stepped back and removed her sword from Cassie's throat, though she still held it firmly in her hand. Meanwhile, Cassie gently dabbed at her neck, pouting in annoyance when she found her fingers stained red once again._

 _"You've got a deal, but only if he wakes up. If he dies then you do too, got it?"_

 _In truth, Cassie didn't quite like the sound of it: But beggars couldn't be choosers. If Harry woke up then she was good to go, and if he didn't... well, chances were she'd be the first to know, and she'd just have to haul ass before anyone else found out._

 _All in all, it seemed simple enough._

 _"Got it."_

 _~...~...~_

"Jus' outta simple curiosity, kitty, where tha fuck were ya gonna go if I did die?"

Cassie pondered Harry's question, her eyes momentarily rolling skyward as she thought. She hadn't really managed to think of a good enough place to run to if things went south. There were only a handful of places around the inner Isle she'd even given a second glance, but even then she hadn't known if they were suitable enough since she hadn't given them a thorough search. Maybe if Harry had died she would've decided to investigate unsearched territory. After all, there were still parts of the Isle she hadn't been to yet: Parts of the Isle where other gangs owned the turf. Chances were she would've run too far for Uma to reach, knowing full well the painful punishment she'd receive if the V.K. found her.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I would've just ran."

Harry hummed in acknowledgement. "Fair enough. But just outta curiosity, love, if ya lied ta Uma about who cut me up, then who did ya say did it?"

 _That_ was a very good question: And it'd taken Cassie two days to come up with a believable answer. Obviously she'd had to name-drop someone to get Uma off her back, but she'd had to be very careful with this one.

Throwing Mad Maddy into the firing line had been an outrageous option: One Cassie never would've taken. The leader of the Fearsome Five was charming enough, but Cassie had seen the cruelty swirling in Maddy's green eyes when she'd been cutting up Harry, and the dark, manic grin on her face when she was instructing the little cat. If Cassie gave Maddy's name to Uma, and the non-magic witch found out about it, Cassie had no doubts in her mind that the psychotic girl would cut her up the same way they'd done to Harry.

Mentioning the Gaston twins would've also caused unneeded chaos. Mainly because they were Gil's brothers, and it'd been Gil who'd heard the rumour from them and gone running straight to Harry. Cassie had developed a great fondness for the blonde-haired pirate over the past week, and ever since they'd met he'd only shown her kindness, so throwing him under the carriage like that was - again - out of the question. There was also the fact that Helena would go full Queen of Hearts on Cassie's ass if she even tried to put the blame on the woman's love.

It'd taken a bit of thought, but eventually Cassie settled on a name she could give Uma. One that wouldn't cause her _too much_ trouble in the long run.

"Ginny," she finally replied, leaning back on her hands.

Harry choked on air, blinking at the little cat for a moment. "Ginny?" he repeatedly.

"Well... yeah. I told Uma I was up in my den when you were attacked, so I didn't see any faces, but I did hear a name. And considering you and Ginny have some kind of bad history together, it didn't take much for Uma to believe it," she explained.

"Aye," he drawled, pausing for a second while he absorbed the information. "Why her, though? Ya could've dropped anyone else's name."

Cassie gave a small shrug. "She was a bit of an asshole when we first met," was her poor excuse, earning a deep chuckle from the pirate in front of her.

"Bitter much?"

The Cheshire Cat's daughter rolled her eyes. Yes, her reason for giving Ginny's name to Uma was rather childish in its own way. But what else was she supposed to do? Uma had been utterly frantic during Harry's week-long 'nap', and not knowing who'd put him in that position in the first place had began to drive her mad.

"Why didn't you tell Uma it was me?" the little cat asked. "You could've told her the truth, but you didn't. Why?"

Harry's natural smirk faded, his lips twisting down into a frown. "Ya wouldn' understand," he said, lightly shaking his head.

"Try me," she abruptly pressed, the curious cat inside of her just begging for an answer. It'd actually been bugging her since she'd realised he remembered everything that night. He could've easily told Uma the truth about everything that happened, and yet he'd decided to keep it to himself.

"I told ya," he snapped, "ya wouldn' understand."

Clearly this particular line of discussion was only angering the hook-wielding pirate, but Cassie's mind wouldn't rest. She was traipsing through dangerous territory now, so to speak. Unfortunately this meant she'd have to figure it out for herself.

Cassie hadn't exactly seen enough interaction between Harry and Uma for her to have a good enough opinion on their relationship. From the things she had seen, though, she knew with certainty that there was a strong connection between the two. Harry had given up his hook after the challenge just so Uma could keep her pendant: He'd traded it without a second of hesitation. There was also the immense anger Uma had shown when Cassie had come into the shoppe after tying Harry up in Bargain Castle, along with the Captain's downward spiral during his 'sleep'. They weren't just best friends... they were completely devoted to the other.

There was only one reason Cassie's could think of for Harry not to have told Uma the truth, but it seemed a little far-fetched.

"You didn't wanna hurt her." She didn't realise she'd said it aloud until Harry flinched, but with the way he tightly shut his eyes, a grimace twisting his face, she knew it was true.

Harry Hook had _actually_ shown mercy.

"Yar kind like to look down on us, kitty. An' I know ya love usin' our code against us. But it's our way of life, the few rules we'll actually follow. Uma took yar deal that night, an' she let ya live aroun' here until I woke up. She even let ya aroun' me. Can you imagine, for a moment, what would happen ta her if I told 'er the truth? What would happen if I told 'er she'd been chattin' to the person who almos' killed the only one she truly cares for? It would'a shot 'er down, kitty."

 _'Holy shit,'_ Cassie thought, her eyes wide with complete disbelief. Of course she understood his reasoning. If Uma found out that she'd given freedom to the person who'd almost taken her best friend's life... well, it wouldn't have just been devastating. What had the little cat so baffled, though, was the fact that the man she'd seen drive a sword through a young boy's stomach like it was nothing had refused to tell his friend something just because it would've hurt her.

"W-why did you push me that night?" she quietly asked, still reeling from the sudden revelation that there was more to him than what she'd seen.

"Ya should spend more than jus' a week aroun' us pirates, lass. Maybe ya'd learn a few things," he said instead, causing the little one further confusion.

Cassie merely blinked, a clear sign that she needed an understandable explanation for why he'd pushed her to hurt him that night.

"I was returnin' the favour, as it were," he said with a huff, his blue eyes rolling. "Us pirates, we live an 'eye-for-an-eye' kind'a life. Ya take somethin' from us, we take somethin' from you. Ya kill one of ours an' we kill one of yours." He leaned forward then, keeping steady eye contact with the little cat. "Ya get us out of a tricky spot, we do the same for you."

In short, Harry had helped her that night because she'd helped him on a night previous to that one. Even if it'd almost cost him his life.

"You could've died, Harry," she pointed out, uncomfortable with the gut-churning emotions he was pulling out from her. She'd made up her mind about him on day one, coming to the final conclusion that he was an insane, cruel, and evil person. Now, though, she was beginning to find out that there was so much more to both him and the pirates, and it was _not_ making her feel good.

"Don' lick yar own arse, kitty. It takes a lot more than a few cuts to take me down. Plus, we're even now, I don' owe ya a damn thing."

"Just your life," she fired as a response.

Harry narrowed his eyes and leaned in further. "Actually, it was _your_ fault I almos' lost it in the firs' place. An' then ya gave it back to me, so - again - we're even."

Cassie hesitated for a moment, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as a rather ballsy question floated into her mind. "Are you letting me go now, Harry?"

"Aye," he replied, after a second of thought. "Ya don' have to worry about me anymore, kitty."

The relief was instantaneous. For a good two months now she'd been living in fear, constantly worried that Harry was going to track her down and put an end to her life. She'd done so much running, and hiding, and occasional maiming, but now she was done. Now she could finally go about the rest of her days without having to look over her shoulder.

Cassie released a deep breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, her shoulders drooping as the weight she'd been carrying around since she'd met Harry was finally taken away.

"Ya've got bigger things to worry about now."

Now _that_ caught her attention.

Cassie lifted her head, her dark eyes meticulously searching Harry's face for an answer. The ominous way in which he'd said those words triggered her anxiety once more, and a brutal nausea stirred in her stomach when she noticed a mischievous - and incredibly terrifying - grin she hadn't seen in a little while.

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

Harry's grin grew wider, if that was even possible. "I saw the way the mad witch looked at ya that night, kitty. She likes ya, I can tell. I've heard some stories about that one an' oh... they are some good stories. By the time the month's up I guarantee ya'll be missin' me more than ya ever thought ya would."

"I'm not interested in Maddy." Even Cassie could hear the fear in her voice, wrapped around specks of uncertainty.

"Ya think that matters, love? I can' wait to see how this one plays out. Yar a wild little kitty, Cassie, an' someone on the Isle's gonna tame ya down eventually. _Someone_ on the Isle's gonna put yar fire out in the end. But who will it be?"

Cassie growled and leapt forward, pinning Harry down by his shoulders. The fact she was supposed to be playing along with his game escaped her mind. It'd been brutally shoved away the moment he started poking away at her paranoia once more. She'd been so happy only moments ago, finally knowing that she could peacefully go back to the way things were, and he'd been so quick to take it from her.

"If I survived _you_ then I can handle anything else this Island can throw at me. _No one_ is going to tame me, Harry. I. Won't. Let. Them," she spat.

"Oh, ya're givin' me too much credit, kitty," he chuckled, not even bothered by the fact she was on top of him. "Did ya really think I was the worst thing here?" He gently tutted, as though reprimanding the little cat for having even thought such a thing. "There are way worse things than me out there, an' you'll find that out soon enough."

The Cheshire Cat's daughter swiftly removed herself from the bed, determined that this conversation was over. She tried her best to soothe her worry, but it was a hard thing to accomplish when all she could hear behind her was laughter.

"I'll be seein' ya soon, kitty."

Cassie ignored him and carried on, viciously tugging on the door handle. The door came against the wall with a loud _bang,_ but she remained undeterred.

 _'Someone on the Isle's gonna put yar fire out in the end. But who will it be?'_

The little cat shoved Harry's words from her mind, her feet taking her down the hall and up on deck. She'd meant every word she'd said to him. No one would ever tame her, and no one would ever take her fire from her. If anyone even thought to try she'd be quick enough to put an end to it. She'd freed herself from Harry Hook, and if she could do that then she could do anything.

Her freedom was hers, and it was going to fucking stay that way.

* * *

AN;

Hello my wonderful readers!

First things first, I am so sorry it took me so long to put out this next chapter. I went through another spot of writer's block, mainly because I wasn't too sure where I was going to with this particular chapter (Also because my computer froze up while I was in the midst of writing, so I had to re-do the entire thing) but I managed to get it done.

Second, I know this chapter's not what we usually see when it comes to Harry and Cassie in the same room. I wanted to tame it down a bit, but still keep things realistic when it came to them, so I hope I did okay.

Review acknowledgement time;

Guest; Yeah, there was a lot of brutality going on in the previous chapter, and it has deeply affected Cassie. I mean... she's not an evil person, she's just trying to survive, and the lengths she'll go just to do so kind of scare her. I hope you like this chapter, and thank you for your review :)

Muddy Birdy; Honestly, in my mind at least, Harry enjoys the fact that he pushed her so far. Mainly because he knows a lot more about Maddy and the group than Cassie does, so he knows exactly what's coming for her. He didn't take the deal because he didn't think he needed to, but it did come down to pride in the end. He knows he's not invincible, but he does have his head quite far up his own arse, so to speak. And as for pushing Cassie to hurt him... well, that's in this chapter, and I really hope you like the reasoning behind it. Thank you so much for your wonderful review :)

Guest; Thank you for the review! They did leave Harry at the Castle, but as you can see he managed to get back the ship, and he even attempted to do so himself.

22; Here you go! I hope you like this chapter, and thank you for the review :)

edrch; I'm so happy you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you like this chapter as well. Thank you for the review! :)

ShipperandFanficer15; Thank you for the review! I honestly love writing the chapters involving both Harry and Cassie, mainly their interactions. Yeah, Cassie isn't too fond of hurting anyone... Harry included, because she's not that kind of person. And I'm glad you enjoyed the fact that Maddy has a thing for Cassie. Cassie's been living on the Isle for a long time, but she hasn't ever really experienced life the same way the others have, so going through all the new - and more normal - things teenagers go through is a lot of fun. I'm so happy you enjoyed the previous chapter, and I really hope you like this one.

Guest; I'm really happy you're enjoying the story so far, especially Cassie, and how I write out Harry. Obviously this story is a lot darker than a few I've come across, so I wasn't too sure how people would take it, so it means a lot that you like it. I really hope you like this chapter as well, and thank you so much for your review. :)

Anyways, please leave me a PM or review to let me know what you thought about this chapter. Also, I'm open to suggestion. Is there anything else you want to see in this story? Or maybe a few more chapters involving other characters and such? Let me know because I love new ideas, and I want to make sure you guys enjoy the story. Lots of love to all of you who've favourited and followed as well, it means a lot!

(Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through. If you spot any, feel free to let me know. Thanks!)


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